§ Lieutenant Butcherasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that certain easily-handled commodities such as coffee, cocoa, custard powder, etc., in handy packages are now being sold by the chain stores who did not sell such commodities before the war; that the division into the prescribed ration of commodities difficult to handle such as butter, lard, bacon, etc., is being performed by the customary supplier; and whether he will direct that permission to trade in non-rationed commodities is withdrawn from the chain store so as to enable the established trader in groceries to spread his overhead charges over the widest possible range of allied commodities so keeping them to the lowest possible limits?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for West Edinburgh (Lieut.-Colonel Hutchison) on 30th July to which I have only to add that instructions will shortly be issued adding custard powder, and certain other foodstuffs, to the list of commodities which can only be retailed under licence from the local food control committees. Coffee and cocoa have been in the list since 9th October, 1939.