§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Food Prices Commission, before committing themselves to the statement that meat prices had not been inflated by the use of cold storage, took evidence from the Port of London Authority, the Union Cold Storage Company, and the Central Markets Cold Storage Company; if so, whether the last company were examined as to the rise of their profits from £19,000 in 1914 to £33,788 in 1915; whether the managers of these stores were asked to account for the fact that thousands of tons of beef and mutton were delivered from their stores in 1915 and 1916 in a condition which showed it had been kept in store a very long time; whether he will state the total weight in stock in the Port of London Stores on 1st August. 1914; the total weight received and delivered between that date and 1st August, 1916; of this amount what was charged for at the rate of one month's storage only what at two months' rate, and what at a longer distance; and whether he will give the same figures for the Union Cold Stores, the Central Markets Cold Stores, and the stores in the city of Liverpool?
Mr. RUNCIMANThe Departmental Committee on Prices do not state what witnesses were examined by them, but it was within their competence to call what evidence they pleased. I have not the information asked for in the latter part of the question, and, if I had, I doubt if it would be in the public interest to make it known.
§ Mr. THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give any information respecting the reasons for permitting the insulated boats of Messrs. Lamport and Holt, Limited, to trade between Buenos Ayres and New York other than a reference to carrying United 77W States mails; whether he is aware that in 1915 these boats carried 514,000 quarters of beef, 127,000 sheep, and 120,000 lambs, or between 50,000 and 60,000 tons of meat, or about one-eighth of that which the Committee state is the potential tonnage of the River Plate meat service; that these boats carried 48,000 beef quarters on 24th February of this year, 25,000 quarters on 30th March, and continued in this service until the 13th April of this year, when meat prices had greatly risen; whether he will state why, even if it were necessary to carry the United States mails, it was necessary to keep insulated boats for such a purpose; and how, in face of these facts, it is held that meat prices rose through shortage of meat shipping tonnage?
Mr. RUNCIMANI must refer my hon. Friend to the answers given on 8th March last to the hon. Member for the College Division of Glasgow, and on 26th July and 24th October last to himself on this subject, as well as to the general considerations with which I dealt in my speech in this House on the 17th October.
§ Mr. THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state the total weight going through the wholesale meat markets of Manchester, Sheffield, Birmingham, and Newcastle-on-Tyne for the first six months of 1913, 1914, and 1915, respectively?
§ Mr. ACLANDI am asking the market superintendents of the places named for this information and will send it to my hon. Friend as soon as I get it.
§ Mr. THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give the names of the persons constituting the Committee who controlled the meat trade; whether, in view of the profits which the operations of this secret Committee have placed in the pockets of the Argentine meat companies, exceeding in some cases in one year the total capital sunk in the company, he will add to their number a representative of the working classes; and whether he will disclose to the House of Commons what are the exact relations between the Armour Company, of Chicago, and various firms in which his adviser, Sir Thomas Robinson, holds a considerable interest?
Mr. RUNCIMANThe conditions of purchase, transport, and distribution of the frozen meat supplies of the Government are controlled entirely by the Board78W of Trade without the assistance of any Committee, secret or other. I have referred more than once in this House to the invaluable services which Sir Thomas Robinson, a distinguished public servant of unquestioned probity, is rendering to the Government in connection with this matter, and I repudiate most strongly the suggestion contained in the latter part of the question.
§ Mr. THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total tonnage of the refrigerated fleet which is at present being used not for carriage but for cold storage in various ports for war purposes; whether he is aware that with a couple of months' energy serviceable cold stores could be fitted up at all centres where boats are so employed; and what is the reason this course has not been followed?
§ Mr. PRETYMANIt is not in the public interest to give the particulars asked for. The use of refrigerated ships for cold storage is avoided as far as possible. Arrangements have been recently made for the release of two store ships, and others will be released as opportunity offers.