§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Food Controller what steps are going to be taken to prevent profiteering in edible oils used in the fried-fish trade; and is he aware of a large quantity of such oil being held up by a firm now, in spite of the scarcity, to obtain a higher price?
Mr. ROBERTSWith a view to preventing speculative dealings in edible oils, I have made an Order prohibiting purchases or sales of these commodities except under licence. In reply to the second part, I am informed that one firm holds a stock of 726 tons of cotton oil. This firm has distributed 713 tons during the eight weeks ended 26th June, and at this rate of disposal its stocks would be exhausted by the end of August. As no further supplies of cotton oil will be available from Egypt until December, the firm in question has decided, with the approval of the Ministry, to issue its supplies to customers in the fried-fish industry at the rate of 200 tons per month. This decision has been taken with a view to the conservation of supplies, and not in order to obtain a higher price.