§ 58. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the owner of a block of fiats in Reading who recently applied to the Food Office in Reading for authority to purchase one cake of soap a fortnight to clean the entrance hall and staircases and who after making due application in writing and attending personally at the food office was advised to apply to the Wokingham food office and from there was sent on to an office at Bracknell was informed ultimately that after reference to higher authority it had been decided that no soap could be allowed for this purpose; and if he will take steps to ensure that owners of property in such cases are readily allowed to buy essential cleaning materials.
§ Mr. StracheyI am sorry that Air-Commodore Cresswell Turner was put to this trouble. We cannot spare soap for cleaning halls and staircases in blocks of flats, and he should have been told so when he first applied. Unrationed cleaning materials suitable for this purpose can be readily purchased.