Mr. JARDINEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food i£ he will elucidate, for the benefit of the public, the regulation that a grocer is guilty of an illegal act if he makes a condition to his customer that other articles must be purchased in order to obtain sugar, and that there is no obligation on the part of grocers to sell sugar, whereas in effect 44W it may be necessary for the customer to purchase other articles in order to obtain sugar?
Captain BATHURSTIt is not clear what further elucidation of the position is desired by the hon. Member. A grocer may refuse to sell sugar even if he has sugar in his possession. It would clearly be impossible to impose an obligation on the grocer to sell sugar to any person demanding it, since this would enable unscrupulous persons, by going round to a number of different shops to acquire an altogether excessive amount of sugar. The grocer must be free to reserve his sugar for those who usually deal with him. At the same time, the grocer may not directly or indirectly impose, or attempt to impose, a condition that other articles shall be purchased.