§ Major Legge-Bourkeasked the Minister of Food how many claims for 1940–41 ledger balances of merchants have been made by his Department; how many have been settled; how many disputed by merchants; and what remedy is open to each side in such cases.
§ Mr. StracheyI assume that the hon. and gallant Member is referring to ledger balances arising out of transactions on the 1940 and 1941 potato crops. My Department has raised approximately 7,300 claims against debtors in respect of these ledger balances; 6,700 have been settled, of which 1,500 were disputed by the debtors. The remedy open to the Ministry in case of dispute is the usual one open to a creditor of set off or recourse to the courts.