HC Deb 24 July 1946 vol 426 cc35-7
64. Colonel Wigg

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that a considerable quantity of white flour stored in the warehouse of Messrs. W. G. Cooper & Sons, Limited, road transport contractors, Acresford Mills, Burton-on-Trent, is rapidly becoming useless, because of the failure of his Department to give instructions as to its disposal; and on how many other occasions this spoiling of flour has happened because of the failure of his Department to give adequate instructions to Messrs. Cooper & Sons, Limited.

Dr. Summerskill

The relatively small quantity of white flour which is stored in this warehouse on behalf of two flour millers is in a satisfactory condition. On no occasion has flour spoiled because of any failure to give adequate instructions for its disposal.

Colonel Wigg

Is the hon. Lady aware that her reply is in sharp contrast with the statements made by Mr. Cooper at a meeting in my constituency, called for another purpose, when he used the occasion to make the gravest allegations against the Ministry?

Mr. Osborne

Is the Minister aware that an invitation to that meeting was given to the hon. and gallant Member and he refused to go—

Mr. Speaker

That is another question.

Dr. Summerskill

As these allegations were rather serious, I think we should clear the matter up. After Mr. Cooper had made allegations at the meeting, he said, subsequently, that there were not 20 tons of flour going bad in his warehouse, but there was a considerable quantity. Interviewed later, he admitted that there were only about four tons of flour and none of it had gone bad, but some of it might do if it was left much longer. He accused the local Press of making a mountain out of a molehill. Actually the Press were quite correct in their report of what Mr. Cooper said.

Mr. Osborne

Is it not a fact that the words that were used at the meeting were not that the flour was rapidly becoming useless, but that it was deteriorating, and that there is a great deal of difference? I think the hon. and gallant Gentleman is making a mountain out of a molehill in this matter.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member must ask questions, and not make statements.

Colonel Wigg

Is the hon. Lady aware, as reference has been made to the meeting, that I was invited to attend, and declined to do so, and that the tactics were to announce me as a speaker although I had declined? Is she further aware that my Question was couched in terms put to me by the chairman, who is a distinguished Member of the Conservative Party?

Mr. Skeffington-Lodge

Another Tory ramp.

Mr. Speaker

Hon. Members must not be too prepared to run after hares.

Mr. Oliver Stanley

On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the fact that a few minutes ago you rebuked one of my hon. Friends for putting a silly and provocative question, is it in Order for an hon. Member opposite to shout "another Tory ramp?"

Mr. Speaker

The remark about a Tory ramp is not out of Order. If I may give the right hon. Gentleman a quotation, I would say: We should never get too mealy-mouthed or frightened about little tiffs that occur in in the course of our affairs."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 12th April, 1946; Vol. 421, c. 2228.] That seems to me to be very sound advice, which was stated in the House on 12th April of this year by the right hon. Member for Woodford (Mr. Churchill).

Mr. Stanley

Would you give the same advice to my hon. Friend the Member for West Harrow (Mr. Bower), as your censoring him beforehand may have made him feel that in future he has to be too mealy-mouthed?