87. Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Minister of Food what is the total quan tity of foodstuffs, including flour and coffee, stored in the Midlesbrough area, giving full particulars of the quantities on the Tyne and Tees Shipping Com pany's wharf and warehouses there; how long the bulk of the materials have been 2113 in stock; the date of the last deliveries into store; the total amounts cleared since 30th June last: and the condition of the materials now in stock?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI am having inquiries made into the points raised by the hon. Member, and will communicate the results to him as soon as they are available.
Mr. THOMSONSeeing that these stocks are considerable, will the Minister take care that they are cleared before further losses are sustained?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONMy difficulty is that the hon. Gentleman's question is manifestly inaccurate, because the Ministry has never held stocks of coffee, and I must make further inquiry to ascertain the facts.
§ Colonel P. WILLIAMSIs the hon. Gentleman aware that this stock of coffee was discovered owing to a crane falling through the roof of a building?