§ 36 and 37. Major-General Sir N. MOOREasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Oversea Trade Department if he is aware (1) that, owing to the claims of parties to market rights under monopolies, created several hundreds of years ago, who have refused consent to the Port of London Authority for the holding of sales of food by auction on their own premises, there is fear that large supplies of Colonial fruits may be again diverted to Hamburg or other Continental ports from the Port of London, as happened for some years previously to the War; whether he proposes to take any action in the matter;
(2) that parties claiming market rights under monopolies, created several hundreds of years ago, have refused consent to the Port of London Authority for the holding of sales of food by auction on their 26 own premises, thereby interfering with the free sale of fresh fruits imported from our overseas Possessions in great demand by the British public, considerably increasing-the existing congestion of London traffic, and adding substantially to the cost paid by the consumer for such fruits owing to the fact that such produce has under present conditions to be transported across the City of London, received and delivered from warehouses, and subjected to additional tolls and expenses; and if he will say if he is prepared to promote early legislation to remedy this state of affairs?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of FOOD (Mr. McCurdy)I have been asked to reply to these questions. The Food Controller is having inquiries made into the position, arid has referred the matter to the recently constituted Departmental Committee on Wholesale Food Markets for investigation and early report.
§ Sir N. MOOREThe markets are Covent Garden and Spitalfields.