§ Mr. A. Edwardsasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport, whether he is aware that manufacturers complain that they are accumulating large stocks of empty cases used in the carriage of raw materials; that these cases cannot be returned to the sender because his Department has instructed the railway companies not to accept empty cases; that other manufacturers are being prevented by the Timber Control Department from obtaining further supplies of cases; and whether he will now permit these empty cases to be returned to the sender.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerNo such instructions have been issued by my Department. I fully appreciate the importance in present 1065W circumstances of ensuring that empty cases are returned to the senders as soon as possible, and instructions are in force that the same priority should be given to empty containers as to the commodities for which they are used. Owing to the exceptionally heavy tonnage of traffic at present being offered to the railways for conveyance, it is not, however, always practicable for effect to be given to this arrangement.