HC Deb 02 December 1920 vol 135 cc1471-2W
Major MORGAN

asked the Minister of Food from what office, divisional or district, did he obtain the information upon which he based his statement as to stocks of flour stored at the Old Assembly Hall, Ferndale; if he can give the name of the food officer who inspected the flour; did he in his Report order the immediate removal or distribution of this stock; and, if so, on what grounds did he base his decision?

Major MORGAN

asked the Minister of Food whether, notwithstanding his statement to the contrary, the stocks of flour were still stored at the Assembly Hall, Ferndale, and that no steps had been taken up to 29th November, 1920, to carry out the instruction of the inspecting officer for its immediate removal; is he now aware of the high feeling of the inhabitants who see day after day this enormous waste of valuable food created by the action of rats and maggots; and will he take steps to stop this scandal as soon as possible?

Mr. McCURDY

I will answer these two questions together. As stated in my reply to the questions put by the hon. and gallant Member on the 25th November, the information on which I based my statement was contained in a Report forwarded, not by a local food officer, but by an expert inspector attached to the Royal Commission on Wheat Supplies. The instructions to remove the flour were issued by the Wheat Commission on 11th November, as stated in my previous answer. I regret that I was misinformed as to the actual date of removal; the delay has been due to the difficulty in accepting delivery of the flour on the part of the miller who was instructed to deal with it. The instructions that this flour should be dealt with forthwith have now been repeated by telegram.

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