§ 22. Mr. Challenasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the object of maintaining in force the provision under the Auction and Tender Control Orders which forbids a person to have any of his goods sold by auction if he has had cause to allow to be sold by auction other goods, being goods to which these Orders apply, during the six months immediately preceding the date of the declaration which has to be made prior to any auction; and whether he will review this provision with a view to its abolition in the near future.
§ Sir S. CrippsThe object of the provision to which the hon. Member refers is to ensure that advantage is not taken of auction facilities to carry on a business of selling goods without complying with Price Control Regulations, which cannot conveniently be applied to auctions. In bona fide cases of disposal of personal effects for which auctions are primarily designed, exemption from the six months requirement is freely given by licence. I am satisfied that the provisions are still 1366 necessary, and the answer to the second part of the Question is accordingly in the negative.
§ Mr. ChallenAll the same, is this not really one of the petty controls that might well be abolished in the very near future?
§ Sir S. CrippsFor the reasons I have already given, no.