§ 64. Mr. Sorensenasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Canned Foods Advisory Bureau are circulating householders advising them to store tinned foodstuffs; and whether he proposes to take steps to prevent such hoarding, as it creates the impression that the country is in imminent danger of a condition of seige?
§ Mr. StanleyI am aware that advice about the storage of tinned food is being circulated by the Canned Foods Advisory Bureau. As I have already explained to the House, the Government do not regard the acquisition of small reserves of food by householders in peace time as undesirable.
§ Mr. SorensenSurely the right hon. Gentleman agrees that it is the wealthy people rather than the poorer people who can afford to purchase these stores, and in these circumstances will he agree that this hoarding of foodstuffs, as if a war is to break out next Monday at nine o'clock, can only generate more of those jitterbugs to which one of his own friends has referred?
§ Mr. StanleyI disagree entirely. I gave a long and considered reply on this matter last week.
§ Mr. George GriffithsDoes not the Minister think that this is an insult to the unemployed who do not have enough to live on for a week at a time, never mind storing?