§ Mr. STEWARTasked the Minister of Food whether the Government have on band a very large quantity of lightly-cured bacon which is rapidly becoming unfit for human consumption; whether he will state approximately the number of boxes in hand and the number considered to contain bacon fit to eat; and will he state the estimated loss per box of the deteriorating bacon?
Mr. ROBERTSThe Government do not at present hold in this country large stocks of bacon, and the great bulk of the stock, which has not yet been issued to the trade, consists of hard-cured cuts on which depreciation is very small. All the mild-cured cuts requisitioned by my Department have been for some time in traders' hands, and none of it is being held back from consumption. As my Department is purchasing bacon on a free market in America, I do not consider it desirable to give details of the stocks held, since this information would have an important influence on market prices in America. It is not possible to estimate the loss per box through deterioration of bacon still in store, but, in any event, this loss is insignificant.
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMasked the Minister of Food whether his attention has been called to the recent prosecution of 602W Mr. A. F. B. Lawrence, solicitor, Edinburgh, secretary of the Edinburgh, Leith and District Master Grocers' Association, for a contravention of Section 48 of the Defence of the Realm Regulations in respect of the issue of a circular to the members of the association regarding the prices to be charged for bacon and ham; whether on the 31st March, 1919, the control was taken off wholesale supply, but continued on retail trade, with the result that wholesale prices largely increased, and the retailers were compelled to sell at a loss; whether this state of affairs was brought to the notice of the Ministry of Food in May, 1919, and that the Ministry advised retailers to stop handling bacon if it did not pay to sell at the controlled price; whether on 28th May the Ministry stated that the matter was receiving their constant consideration; whether on 11th June, at Aberdeen, the Scottish grocers recommended that bacon and ham should be sold at a profit of not more than 3d. per lb., as allowed in previous Orders, but delayed putting the resolution into effect for fourteen days, so that the Food Controller might have an opportunity of giving effect to the unanimous wish of the retail trade; whether, at Liverpool, on 9th June, the Food Controller in effect homologated the views of the Scottish grocers, and indicated that the price should be increased by 2d. per lb., and thus supported, at that date, the circular which Mr. Lawrence had issued eleven days earlier; and whether, in view of the foregoing facts and the very difficult position of the retail trade in this matter, he will take steps to have the conviction quashed and the fine refunded?
Mr. ROBERTSMy attention has been drawn to this case. The facts are as follows: On 31st March, 1919, the Order controlling the wholesale prices of bacon was suspended, but the Order fixing maximum retail prices remained in force. Owing to the rise in the wholesale prices of American and Canadian bacon during the summer months, the retailer's margin of profit was materially reduced during this period, and I received various deputations from retailers' associations on the subject during May and June. Retailers were advised at the end of May that my Department was not prepared at that time to sanction an advance in the maximum retail price, and, further, that they should stop handling bacon if they could not do so profitably, with a view to bring- 603W ing about a reduction in the wholesale prices. A copy of the resolution passed by the Scottish grocers, to the effect that bacon and ham should be sold at a profit of not more than 3d per lb., was sent to the Ministry, with an intimation that the resolution would not be put into effect for fourteen days, but I was quite unable to accept this recommendation, since the experiment of limiting a retailer's profit to 3d. per lb. without a, fixed maximum retail price had proved most unsatisfactory in the early days of control. On 9th July (not 9th June, as stated) I indicated that certain increases in the maximum retail price of bacon would be made forthwith, and an Order to this effect was immediately issued. In the meantime Mr. Lawrence thought fit to issue a circular which in effect incited retailers in Scotland to ignore an Order issued by my Department. It is quite impossible to accept the principle that private persons should be allowed to take the law into their own hands, even though they may consider that they are suffering under a grievance, and anyone who incites private persons to take this course must be prepared to pay the penalty. Mr. Lawrence was duly convicted and fined, and I do not propose to take any such steps as are indicated in the last part of the question.