§ Mr. HANCOCKasked the Minister of Food whether he has received from any 243W Poor Law Union a strong protest against the long continued holding up of large quantities of food which must tend to inflate prices, and an urgent request that his Department release the enormous stocks of food now lying at our ports and other places, and thereby reduce the cost of living, remove the abnormal conditions which necessitate constant increases in the wages now paid by local authorities, and at the same time bring relief to householders; and, if so, what does he propose to do in the matter?
§ Mr. McCURDYThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. No foodstuffs under the control of the Ministry of Food are stored when there is an immediate market available with the exception of rationed articles in short supply, such as sugar and butter, of which it is necessary to maintain reserve stocks in order to ensure the regularity of the ration.