§ Mr. SWANasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that, since the passing of the Profiteering Act, the cost of living has substantially increased; if it is the intention of the Government to put into force the Act where on inquiry undue profits have been made; and if he can state how many trusts or combine companies have been fined under the Act?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I do not quite follow the hon. Member's suggestion that the Profiteering Act should be put into force, since it is and has been in operation for a long time.The central committee and local committees in the exercise of powers delegated to them by the Board of Trade have authority not only to order the refund of excessive amounts charged by sellers but also to take proceedings against seller before a Court of Summary Jurisdiction if, as a result of any investigation undertaken on their own initiative or on complaint made to them, it appears to them that the circumstances so require. No trust or combine company612W has been fined as a result of a prosecution at the instance of the central committee, and the information in the possession of the Board of Trade does not enable me to say whether any trust or combine company has been fined as the result of a prosecution at the instance of a local committee.