§ Colonel WEIGALLasked the President of the Board of Trade what are the average number of strawberry trains which leave Swanwick Station daily during the strawberry season; whether he is 630W aware that on 6th March the secretary of the Railway Executive was asked if the facilities for removing strawberries during the coming season would be restricted, and replied in the affirmative; that on the strength of that statement certain growers in the Swanwick district were induced to alter their cropping, and that since that date the manager of the London and South-Western Railway has assured Swanwick growers that the usual facilities for dealing with the strawberry traffic will be forthcoming during the coming season; whether, in view of the national food crisis, he will explain why the Swanwick growers, who are trying their best to help the country by changing their cropping, should be discouraged from so doing by the action of the manager of the London and South-Western Railway Company; and whether, in view of the restricted supply of trucks and rolling stock, it is proposed to afford the usual facilities for dealing with the traffic of what is an obvious luxury?
§ Mr. G. ROBERTSI am asking for the observations of the Railway Executive Committee on this subject, and will communicate with the hon. and gallant Gentleman on receipt of their reply.