§ Brigadier-General SURTEESasked the Minister of Food if he can give the number of people summoned and convicted on charges of profiteering during the last three months; how many of these were wholesalers and how many retailers; what were the individual minimum fines; and to what extent there has been a rise or fall in the cost of living?
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§ Mr. McCURDYThe total number of prosecutions by the Ministry of Food in Great Britain within the last three months was 3,913. Of this total 2,569 were for alleged contravention of statutory maximum price orders issued by the Food Controller. Offences by wholesalers accounted for 461 cases, and those by retailers for 2,108. The maximum and minimum individual fines imposed in the case of the former was £267 and 30s. respectively, and in the case of the latter £62 and 2s. 6d. respectively. The total fines imposed, exclusive of costs, amounted approximately to £12,000. As regards the last part of the question, according to statistics prepared by the Ministry of Labour, the percentage increase of retail prices (including items other than food) since July, 1914, was on the 1st April 132 per cent., on 1st May 141 per cent. and on the 1st June 150 per cent.