§ 27. Mr. W. Shepherdasked the Minister of Food what steps he proposes to take this summer to enforce the regulations regarding the cost of icecream, particularly in relation to street vendors.
§ Mr. StracheyI welcome this opportunity of making clear that the price limitation scheme for ice cream will operate in 1947. Under the scheme an ice cream maker who persists in charging an unreasonable price for his product may have his allocations of controlled ingredients withdrawn. We should ordinarily regard as unreasonable a price more than 50 per cent. above the prewar price for a comparable amount of ice cream. The scheme has proved difficult to enforce against street traders, who frequently are not the makers of the ice cream they offer for sale. I should like to make it clear, however, that we regard the manufacturer who is in receipt of Ministry allocations as responsible for seeing that the public is not exploited; and that he will jeopardise his allocations if he allows his product to be distributed through unsatisfactory channels.