§ Mr. Ammonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the difficulty of obtaining battery-refills for torches owing to shopkeepers refusing to supply less than a complete torch; and will he take steps to stop such exploitation?
Major Lloyd GeorgeAs my right hon. Friend explained in answer to a question by the hon. Member for Devizes (Sir P. Hurd) on 31st October, the present demand for batteries largely exceeds the available supply and it is obviously possible that shopkeepers do not always have in stock refills of the desired size available. I am inquiring into complaints where it is alleged that supplies are available but are being reserved for those customers who buy a complete torch.