§ 75. Mr. Alpassasked the Minister of Food whether his attention has been called to a statement that approximately 150 applications are made every day at Bristol food office for new ration books to replace those lost; what percentage of such number are found and returned; and 122W whether he will seek powers to impose penalties of imprisonment without option of a fine for wrongful detention of books by finders, when such are detected.
§ Mr. StracheyApplications for forms to apply for the replacement of ration documents average 135 per day at the Bristol food office, but the number of books actually issued to replace those lost, destroyed or defaced average 43 per day. The average number of books returned as found is three per day. The imposition of penalties is a matter entirely for the courts to decide.