§ Mr. HARDIEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will have inquiry made into the increase of shop rents as contributing to the high costs of food and other daily essentials?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKThe Royal Commission on Food Prices, which reported last year, stated that from evidence placed before them by retail traders it did not appear that rent had on the average increased as much as the average1074W level of food prices since 1913. I do not, therefore, propose to institute any special inquiry such as that suggested.