§ 17. Mr. Bottomleyasked the President of the Board of Trade the present duties of the Tobacco Adviser and Chairman of the Manufacturers and Distributors Committee.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftThe Tobacco Adviser advises the Board of Trade generally on matters relating to manufactured and unmanufactured tobacco.
§ Mr. BottomleyIs it not possible that his services could be used more directly in connection with the cost of cigarettes, bearing in mind that the Imperial Tobacco Company last year made a profit of nearly £20 million, with a high increase in its dividend, and ought he not to make representations to see that cigarettes are not put up in price, as they have been recently?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftSomething much more than a tobacco adviser would be required if we were to control tobacco prices in this country.