§ 5. Mr. R. MORRISONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the London Master Bakers' Protection Society has decided to ignore any further representations made to them by the Food Council; and what steps he proposes to take to make future representations by the Council effective?
§ 1. Viscount SANDONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the response of the master bakers to the recommendations of the Food Council; and whether he is prepared to take any steps to enforce these recommendations?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI understand that the Food Council have been informed by the London Master Bakers' Protection Society that the letter of the Food Council of the 14th February, which was published in the Press, is being brought before the executive committee of the Protection Society, and that 185 the Food Council have not yet received any further reply to that letter. If the Protection Society should refuse to accept or discuss the proposal made by the Food Council, which seems to me to be an eminently reasonable one, I assume that the Food Council would, in accordance with the plan proposed in their letter, publish at stated intervals the number of days for which the bakers ought to give credit, or would be entitled to take credit, in the succeeding period.
§ Mr. MORRISONSeeing that the Food Council was set up by the Government, is not the right hon. Gentleman prepared to take any further action with an organisation like this, in order to prevent a Department set up by himself from being treated with contempt?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERNo, Sir. That is not a fair way of putting the position, what I am prepared to do is to back up the Food Council in that course, in informing public opinion, so that it may be able to assert itself.
§ Mr. MORRISONDoes not the right hon. Gentleman realise that the statement made by the President and Secretary of the Master Bakers' Society to the effect that they intend to throw Communications from the Food Council into the waste paper basket does not enhance the prestige of the Food Council in the eyes of the public?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI do not think that an ex-parte statement made by anybody will be in the least likely to detract from the reputation and success of the Food Council. I should like to say—I have looked into this matter rather carefully—that the statement to which the hon. Member refers was a statement made by gentleman in his individual capacity. As I have stated in my answer, the Society say they are considering the proposal. With regard to the question of the date at which prices should be altered. I am sure the line which the Food Council are taking is sound, and it is exactly the line which they took in regard to the general price scale and which has been eminently successful.
§ Mr. MONTAGUEHow does the right hon. Gentleman expect the public to protect themselves?