§ Sir C. Rawsonasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will make inquiries into the refusal of the Southwick Urban District Council to grant a catering licence to the new hostel for merchant seamen, opened at Southwick, on 18th September, under the auspices of the British Sailors' Society, as on recent occasions it has been impossible to provide fully for these men without collecting from charitable sources odd provisions; and will he authorise the licence as soon as possible?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI understand that the delay in registering the hostel as a catering establishment is due to the failure of the local naval officer to furnish necessary information. This has, however, now been obtained and the Food Control Committee have been advised to register the hostel.