§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Food what was the approximate annual profit or loss on Government cold storage to the latest convenient date.
§ Mr. StracheyI presume the hon. Member refers to Government-owned cold stores, on which the net profit for the latest completed year ended 31st March, 1948, was £113,871.
§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Food what is the capacity in cubic feet of Government-owned and privately owned cold storage, respectively; and how much of this capacity was in use in each case at the latest available date.
§ Mr. StracheyGovernment-owned cold storage available for refrigerated produce amounts to about 13½ million cubic feet, of which about 74 per cent. was occupied on 19th November. Privately owned stores of over 5,000 cubic feet capacity, capable of maintaining temperatures of 14–18 degrees, amount to about 31 million cubic feet, of which about 87 per cent. was occupied on the same date. We have no information about other privately owned stores.