§ 61. Mr. W. THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the feeling of the most patriotic 1779 of working class organisations in the matter respecting the controlling of food supplies during the War, who believe that the workers have been plundered in order to pile up profits for shipowners, meat importers, cold storage companies, and others; that they describe the recent departmental inquiry into the increases of prices as misleading; that the secretary of the committee of cold storage workers charges the Government with suppressing his evidence on the ground that it contained unanswerable attacks on the Board of Trade; and whether, to allay the charges of maladministration now being made, he will publish the whole of the evidence before the Departmental Committee on increased food prices?
Mr. ROBERTSThe matters referred to in the first part of this question are receiving the attention of the Food Controller. It is considered undesirable to publish the evidence given before the Departmental Committee on Prices, as much of it was given confidentially.
§ Mr. HOUSTONIs the hon. Gentleman not in a position to inform the hon. Member that shipowners are in no way responsible for the great increase in the price of meat, and that so far as bread is concerned the British shipowner is responsible for a very small increase in the price of the 4 lb. loaf?
Mr. ROBERTSI am sure that my hon. Friend the Member for South-West Ham will be glad to receive any information on the point with which the hon. Gentleman can furnish him.
§ Mr. FIELDIs it not the fact that the shipowners have realised more excess profits than any other class in the community?