§ Mr. R. Morganasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, whether his attention has been drawn to 709W the findings of Sir Douglas McCraith, chairman of the North Midland Food Price Investigation Committee, on gambling in tinned foodstuffs; and whether, in view of the public resentment at such practices, he will take immediate steps to eliminate such profiteering by middlemen?
Major Lloyd George:In view of the publicity which has been given to the Press announcement recently issued on the authority of the chairman of the North Midland Food Price Investigation Committee I am glad of an opportunity of making a statement on the subject and of removing the misleading impression widely created by the announcement to which I have referred. The cases mentioned in the Press announcement were already under investigation by the Ministry of Food. Since the beginning of this year certain orders have been made with the object of making speculation in foodstuffs of this kind illegal. I must point out, however, that these cases were not discovered by the chairman of the Investigation Committee but by the Ministry itself and it was from an officer of the Ministry that the chairman obtained the particulars which he published without authority. Disclosure and public discussion of cases which are under consideration with a view to legal proceeding are obviously most undesirable and my Noble Friend considers that the action of the chairman in this matter most improper.