asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the exact numbers of civil servants now employed in the Board of Trade on duties connected with the former Departments of Food and Shipping, which have now been absorbed by the Board of Trade?

At 21st March, 1923, there were 12 permanent and 104 temporary civil servants employed in the: Food Department, and 50 permanent and 189 temporary civil servants employed in the Shipping Liquidation Department. The staff of the Transport Department of the Admiralty, which was transferred to the Board of Trade with the Shipping Liquidation Department, is excluded from these figures.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he still intends to retain during part of the coming financial year the services of 70 officials in order to deal with the affairs of the Food Control Board; and when he hopes for a final closing down of this war staff?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 27th February to the hon. and gallant Baronet the Member for Holborn (Sir J. Remnant), of which I am sending him a copy.