50. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will take immediate steps to ensure that supplies of sugar are available to retailers for distribution to their customers in all parts of the country against the exchange for ration coupons, in view of the difficulties which have been experienced in many villages and rural areas of supplies being unobtainable?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI shall be glad to have immediate inquiry made into any cases of difficulty of which my hon. Friend will supply particulars, but I have no information that supplies of sugar to retailers have been or are inadequate to supply the requirements of their registered customers.
Mr. De la BèreIs my hon. Friend aware that retailers blame the Ministry of Food and the Ministry of Food blames retailers, and will he try to get me some common sense answer to that question?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI am not aware that we have received any complaints from retailers, whether common sense or otherwise, on this subject.