§ 14. Mr. HOUSTONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware of the shortage of food in the West End and Western and South-Western suburbs of London; whether he is aware that meat, bacon, cheese, butter, margarine, tea, and other articles of food have for days together been unprocurable; whether he is aware that scraggy chickens cost as high as 12s. 6d. each, and that rabbits, since the maximum price has been fixed at 1s. 9d., appear to have disappeared; whether he is aware that in some Western and South-Western districts many people have to wait in queues of great length for hours in the hopes of obtaining food, only to find in course of time that it is unprocurable; and whether stores and shops in this portion of London have been raided by the Fool Controller and their contents transferred to the East End of London?
§ Mr. HOUSTONWill the hon. Member make further inquiries? If he does, he will find that as a matter of fact—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member is really now answering his own question.