asked the Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism the number of inspectors currently inspecting throughout the country.
Written Answers. - Departmental Inspectors.
858.
At present there are 35 prices inspectors engaged in price control activities throughout the country.
There are also 11 inspectors engaged in the monitoring of the bread and flour subsidy scheme who, in addition to their main work, carry out certain inspection work in relation to price control.
859.
asked the Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism how many instances of over-charging have been discovered by inspectors so far this year.
During the period 1 January 1982 to 31 May 1982, 2,286 cases of alleged overcharging were investigated by the Department's inspectorate. In 562 cases traders were found to be in breach of the Maximum Prices Orders and the cases have been submitted for legal proceedings; refunds and reductions were secured in 726 cases where the goods were not controlled by Maximum Prices Orders; in 725 cases the complaints made were found to be groundless; in the remaining 273 cases the investigations have not yet been completed.