§ Mr. HARMSWORTHasked the Prime Minister, (1) what steps are being taken by His Majesty's Government to prevent the nation suffering from lack of sufficient food in the event of the dockers' strike lasting beyond the time limit during which imported food supplies distributed from docks before the strike began can reasonably be expected to last;
(2) whether he is aware that the corn mittee responsible for the present strike 2045W of dockers has issued a statement declining to grant permits for the handling of food supplies from ports; and whether, in the national interest, he will take immediate steps to make it illegal to withhold food supplies from the people?
§ Mr. CLYNESPerhaps the hon. Member would await the general statement on this subject which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister proposes to make this afternoon at the conclusion of questions.
§ Mr. HAYCOCKasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that at the Manchester abattoirs the price of chilled and foreign beef was increased by 3d. per 1b.; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take to deal with profiteering in this manner?
Mr. ALEXANDERI have no specific information as to wholesale prices of chilled or frozen beef in Manchester, but I know that these descriptions of beef are in very short supply. As to the second part of the question of emergency meat prices, I would refer to the answer given by the Prime Minister yesterday to the right hon. Member for Bristol Central (Sir T. Inskip).