Mr. MacDONALD (by Private Notice)asked the Prime Minister whether the Food Council have experienced any difficulties in obtaining from food traders the information necessary for the Council's work, and if so, what action the Government propose to take.
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe President of the Board of Trade has to-day received a report from the Food Council regarding the difficulties which they have experienced in obtaining information 1221 from certain food traders. Copies of this report are being placed in the Library and it is being communicated to the Press. The Government are prepared to give the Food Council all the support required to enable them to obtain essential information and they are so informing the Council. Unless therefore within a reasonable period the requisite information is supplied to the Food Council by those traders who have so far failed to do so, the Government propose to ask Parliament to grant the necessary powers to the Council by means of a Resolution under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act, 1921.