asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state if the 1 per cent. tea-weighing allowance previously allowed to grocers has been withdrawn; if so, if he will state the reasons for this decision, the estimated saving of subsidy, and how grocers are expected to recover the loss.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tea-Weighing Allowance.
The answer to the first part of the question is "Yes". This allowance was introduced in August, 1949, when the rationing of tea was for the first time related specifically to the surrender of coupons. Retailers' quotas under the new system were regulated automatically by the coupons lodged with them and surrendered by them to their suppliers. It was felt that in the transitory stage retailers might encounter difficulties through the lack of a margin for contingencies in their quotas and the weighing-out allowance was introduced to meet these anticipated difficulties. It was made clear at the time that this was a temporary measure and subject to review. When the position came to be reviewed it was decided that the new system had been long enough in operation to justify the withdrawal of the allowance. The estimated saving in subsidy as a result of the withdrawal is £20,000 a year. I do recognise that in certain cases grocers' quotas of rationed tea may not be sufficient to cover losses incurred in weighing and that they may have to make good the deficiency by the purchase of unrationed tea. I can see no reason, however, why the Exchequer should make good to grocers, in the case of tea, weighing-out losses which are not made good in the case of other commodities, the retail prices of which are controlled.