§ Mr. LESLIE SCOTTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, having regard to the assistance already rendered by the Transport Workers' Battalion in facilitating the flow of traffic through the ports and to the need, in view of the present high food prices, of increasing our supplies, he will consider the desirability of increasing the strength of the battalion up to 20,000?
Mr. RUNCIMANI hope it may be found possible to increase the numbers of the Transport Workers' Battalion beyond those hitherto sanctioned by the War Office, and the Departments are conferring 69W on the subject, but it may not be practicable to raise its strength to 20,000 men at the present time.