HC Deb 18 February 1948 vol 447 cc1164-5
53. Mr. David Renton

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that soap powders are in short supply in the St. Ives district of Huntingdonshire; and what steps he is taking to ensure that distribution of soap powders to that district will be adequate to meet the ration.

Dr. Summerskill

No complaints of any shortage have been received by local food officers in the St. Ives district. If the hon. Member will let me have more details I will arrange for further investigation.

Mr. Renton

Does the Parliamentary Secretary rely only upon the complaints that food officers make to her about these matters, and when an hon. Member of this House refers a matter to her will she not have inquiries made beyond the food officers?

Dr. Summerskill

Certainly, I am only too happy to make any inquiries which the hon. Member would like to have made, but he must realise that if a shop in his constituency is short of soap powders, the proprietor would normally 'phone up the food executive officer. As we have had no complaints, I think I am in a position to tell the hon. Gentleman that so far as we know there is no shortage of soap powders.

Mr. Renton

Is the hon. Lady aware that I put this Question down three weeks ago when there was a shortage, and there has been plenty of time to make the fullest possible inquiries in the interval.

Dr. Summerskill

I thought the hon. Member's previous Question was on soap and not soap powders.

Mr. Vane

Cannot the hon. Lady safely assume that there is a shortage of soap powders all over the country?

Dr. Summerskill

No, Sir.