Major Millsasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what rates per single column inch are paid to the various weekly newspapers throughout the country for Ministry of Food advertisements; whether, in any cases, the prices paid are below the pre-war scale of trade advertisements; and in how many cases these advertisements have been with- 1813W drawn from newspapers when the proprietors have found it necessary to increase their charges for Government advertising?
§ Mr. MabaneMy Department's advertisements in weekly newspapers are paid for at rates not exceeding the lowest series trade rates per inch, less a Government discount of 2½per cent. If the Govern-merit discount is disregarded, there are two weekly newspapers to which the rate now being paid is lower than that paid in 1939. In 36 cases my Department has withdrawn its advertisements from papers on the ground that the charges were not justified in relation to circulation. In one of these papers the Ministry began to advertise later when the paper rates were lowered.