§ Mr. RAPERasked the President of the Board of Trade wheher he is aware that the Islington public libraries, on the 20th August, 1917, granted the use of accommodation at the south-east branch library, Essex Road, to the late food control committee rent free, upon the condition that all questions of re-instatement were to be taken into account when the accommodation ceased to be used by that committee; that on the 22nd August, 1917, the accommodation in question was accepted by the food control committee upon such condition; that the food control committee was disbanded on the 30th June, 1920, and, having regard to the extensive use to which the rooms were put, substantial redecoration and repairs were essential; that an expenditure of £450 has been incurred by the borough council in the internal re-decoration and repair of the library, the greater part of which sum would not have been expended but for the use of the library by the food control committee; that the claim in question was repudiated by the late Ministry of Food on the ground that the acceptance of the accommodation by the late food control committee upon the condition referred to had not been reported to the divisional food controller nor sanctioned by him; and whether, since the Islington Borough Council can- - not possibly be held responsible for the omission of this technicality on the part of the late food control committee, he will give renewed consideration to this matter, and cause a proper allowance to 338W be made in respect of the dilapidations suffered as a result of the occupation of the library by the said committee?
§ Mr. BALDWINI am prepared to consider any reasonable claims in respect of dilapidations directly attributable to the occupation of the library by the Food Control Committee.