asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state how many complaints have been made to the Price Controller under Section 33 of the Control of Prices Act in each year since the date of the Act's coming into operation, and in how many instances have prices been reduced by order of the Controller during the same periods.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Control of Prices Act.
The complaints made to the Controller of Prices under Section 33 of the Control of Prices Act, 1932, in each year since the operation of the Act were in 1933, 69; in 1934, 71; in 1935, 24; and in the current year (to the end of January), 6; total 170.
In more than 50 per cent. of these cases, investigation could not be made as the complaint referred to commodities not scheduled under the Act or the complainants refused to amplify or sustain their complaints. In about 40 per cent. of the cases the prices charged were, after investigation, held to be reasonable. Of the remainder prices were reduced in respect of seven important items in the cost-of-living figure as the result of action of the Price Controller.
In no case has a price certificate been issued by the Controller.