§ Major ENTWISTLEasked the Minister of Transport (1) whether he is aware that, owing to the limitation of working hours for collecting goods, the railways are unable to clear mills of their daily output, and that in consequence there is such an accumulation of stocks of oil and cake in the seed-crushing mills of the country, especially in Hull, that they are within measurable distance of having to close down for lack of storage for the manufactured goods, while farmers cannot obtain supplies of oil cake for their cattle, and margarine and other users of oil are being starved for raw material; and what steps he is proposing to take to deal with this position;
(2) whether he is aware that railway trucks which arrive at mills and factories in Hull and elsewhere in the afternoon and ought to be loaded and dispatched the same evening are kept idle till the following day, when they ought to be at their destination; whether, in view of the shortage of railway wagons, he is prepared to take steps to ensure that these trucks are used to better advantage; whether orders have been given by the Railway Executive Committee or the Government that no overtime is to be worked for the purpose of clearing these trucks rapidly until the rates of carriage on goods are increased, 720W although the men and their unions are willing to work overtime, and that the-trade of the country is suffering in consequence of these orders; and whether he will give immediate instructions for the abrogation of these orders?
§ Sir E. GEDDESI am having inquiries made into the circumstances referred to in these questions and will communicate the result to the hon. and gallant Gentleman. I am not aware of any order such as that referred to in the last part of the latter question.