§ 49. Mr. Leonardasked the Minister of Supply whether he has now considered the details supplied to him by the hon. Member for St. Rollox, supporting the charge that timber merchants are circumventing the Timber Control (No. 1) Order by refusing to supply buyers in lots more than £I5 in value and by this practice gaining the right to increase the control price by 20 per cent.; and what steps he proposes to take to stop this imposition?
§ Colonel LlewellinI am obliged to the hon. Member for submitting particulars of alleged evasions of the Control of Timber (No. 1) Order. Inquiries into these cases are now in progress and the possibility of taking proceedings in certain other cases is under active consideration.
§ Mr. LeonardIf it can be shown that any firms have been subject to this practice, and that in carrying out contracts from the Government they have required timber which they could not obtain in more than £15 lots, will steps be taken to make restitution to these firms, which are forced to pay an extra 20 per cent.?
§ Colonel LlewellinThat is another question.