asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has given consideration to the correspondence complaining of the reduced supplies of butter, bacon, sugar, etc., forwarded to him by the hon. Member for Stoke; and what action is to be taken to prevent the causes that have given rise to these complaints?

Yes, Sir, the correspondence related to supplies to an industrial co-operative society, and I should like to make it clear that there is no discrimination by my Department as between supplies to such societies and supplies to other traders. As regards the articles referred to, supplies of butter and bacon have recently been below normal; consequently it has been necessary to reduce allocations to all distributors alike. Sugar supplies have also been impartially distributed.

Why did the Minister tell the public that we are only to get three ounces of meat a little later on?