§ 46. Mr. A. V. ALEXANDERasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that the Food Council, in their Report to the Board of Trade, state that their duties cover both a permanent survey over supplies and prices of foodstuffs and the investigation of particular complaints, and that without further powers to obtain information they are unable to carry out either of these duties satisfactorily, he is now prepared at once to ask Parliament to grant the necessary statutory powers asked for by the Food Council?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI announced on Thursday last the action which the Government propose to take. The decision of the Government has been communicated to the Food Council, and I understand that the Council are taking action accordingly.
§ Mr. ALEXANDERDid not the Prime Minister state last week that he would only apply to Parliament for powers if satisfactory replies were not received from those who are at present recalcitrant? Does not the Food Council require general statutory powers, according to their Report?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI shall have to refresh my memory as to the answer I gave, but, whatever the answer was, it gave the Food Council exactly what they wanted.