§ Sir L. Lyleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, before deciding to eliminate as purveyors of rationed food, traders with fewer than 25 registered customers, he formed any estimate of the number of such traders; and, if so, whether he will state what it was?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's Question is in the negative: It was impossible to form any such estimate until the new registrations were completed.
§ Sir L. Lyleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food the number of small shopkeepers in Bournemouth who are likely to be affected by the regulation withdrawing food rations from shopkeepers who have fewer than 25 registered customers; whether he will lay upon the Table of the House copies of the instructions designed to bring to the notice of the Food Committee his promise of considerate treatment; and whether, in the case of any adverse decision, these traders will have any right of appeal?
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Major Lloyd GeorgeThe answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's Question is that the number of small shopkeepers in Bournemouth who are likely to be affected by the arrangement to which he refers will not be known until the recent re-registration of customers with individual shopkeepers has been examined. In reply to the second part of the Question the instruction to which reference is made is confidential. In the case of an adverse decision the trader concerned may appeal to the divisional food officer.