HC Deb 03 May 1950 vol 474 c192W
65. Mr. Black

asked the Minister of Food whether his attention has been drawn to the prosecution by his Department of Mr. and Mrs. Cooper of Bridlington in respect of the loan of one pound of tea to a neighbour and their unconditional discharge; and whether he will see that proceedings are not in future brought in such trivial cases.

Mr. Webb

It is not the policy of my Department to prosecute in trivial cases. But this was not a matter of neighbouring households. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper run an hotel, and their loan was to another catering establishment whose malpractices over rations led the court to impose fines totalling £168.