§ Captain CARR - GOMM (by Private Notice)asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been drawn to the statement that 50,000 rabbits have been put in cold storage at Rotherhithe; whether he can say if this is a fact, and, if so, on whose authority this has been done and for what reason?
§ Mr. CLYNESThe attention of the Food Controller has been drawn to the statement, which appears to have been 601 made under misapprehension. A considerable quantity of imported frozen rabbits have been placed in cold store recently on Army account, but it has been ascertained that no fresh rabbits are at present in store at Rotherhithe.
§ Captain CARR-GOMMCan the Food Minister exercise authority to have these rabbits put on the market at a time when they are most needed?
§ Mr. CLYNESMy answer indicates that they were reserved for immediate Army purposes, and, as I have only received notice of the question within the past two hours, I have not been able to make any further inquiry.
§ Mr. MOONEYIs it not a fact that all the newspapers in this country are now under very strict censorship, and does he think it is in the public interest that statements like this should be allowed to be published, and so create public unrest? Why are they not censored before publication?
§ Mr. CLYNESThat is another matter.