§ 36. Mr. Baldwinasked the President of the Board of Trade the annual cost of stockpiling timber under the headings of rental, depreciation, and supervision; and what number of parsons are employed in the operations.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftIt would be contrary to well-established practice to give information of this kind about particular commodities in the stockpile.
§ Mr. BaldwinDoes not my right hon. Friend think that, in view of the great stockpile of timber in the national forests, and in view of the piled timber in timber merchants' yards, it is about time this extravagant expenditure was stopped and a contribution made towards the reduction in Government expenditure of £100 million?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThe question of the strategic need for timber is one for the Minister of Defence.