§ 56. Mr. Dribergasked the Minister of Food if he will reduce the house charges allowed to restaurants which can be shown to be charging excessive prices for wine, coffee, and other luxuries.
§ Colonel LlewellinNo, Sir.
§ Mr. DribergBut is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman taking any steps at all to check this obvious and flagrant profiteering?
§ Colonel LlewellinYes, Sir, we have powers to deal already under the regulation with a gross case of this sort, but the house charges were fixed to compensate 2006 people with high rent and high overhead charges when we limited the standard cost of the meal.
§ Mr. DribergThen why are house charges of 2s. 6d. a head allowed to very modest little restaurants in Soho which have no high overheads?
§ Colonel LlewellinI have had inquiries made in regard to the restaurant to which my hon. Friend went. I am told that this restaurant normally had a dinner charge before the war of 15s.
§ Mr. DribergOh, nonsense.
§ Mr. ShinwellWould it not be desirable to turn same of these expensive establishments into popular restaurants? His the right hon. and gallant Gentleman considered that? If not, will he do so?
§ Colonel LlewellinWhere there is a need for what may be called a popular restaurant with low prices, such as 1s. or 1s. 6d. for a meal, we have, as the House well knows, set up British Restaurants in many parts of the country and they are very much appreciated.
§ Mr. ShinwellWhy not set them up in Park Lane?
§ Lieut.-Colonel Sir Thomas MooreWill the right hon. and gallant Gentleman solve this conundrum? Why is it that, despite reduced fixed charges, meals cost exactly the same as before those limits were imposed?