§ 35. Sir G. Foxasked the Minister of Food the number of prosecutions undertaken by his Department or local authorities in 1938 and the last three years, respectively, or latest convenient dates, for not reporting rat infestations in the Metropolitan area.
§ Sir B. Smith:There was no duty on occupiers in 1938 to report rat infestation. The first part of the Question, therefore, does not arise. The answer to the second part of the Question is one prosecution in 1943 and none since. I prefer to rely on a system of voluntary reporting, to which the public widely resort.