§ Mr. S. MITCHELLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that large quantities of tomatoes and other vegetables are imported from foreign countries and marketed as British produce; and whether he would be willing to introduce legislation which would make it illegal for foreign produce to be sold as British produce?
§ Sir H. BARNSTONI have been asked to reply on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture. Complaints reach the Ministry from time to time of imported agricultural produce being sold as British, and my right hon. Friend is always ready to consider the desirability of instituting proceedings under the Merchandise Marks Acts, 1887 and 1894, which already enable him to deal with cases where false descriptions are 2067W applied. I should add that as announced by the Prime Minister on the 30th ultimo in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for North Cornwall (Mr. A. M. Williams), the Government hope to introduce next year a comprehensive Measure which will, among other things, deal with the marking of imported agricultural produce.