asked the Minister of Food when the people of London may expect to receive the 6d. meat bonus now six weeks overdue.

As the House knows, negotiations between the employers and the trade union regarding the dispute that has arisen over the distribution of the 6d. meat bonus for the London area have been unsuccessful, and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service has now set up a committee of investigation. I should prefer not to comment while the matter is, in this sense, sub judice, but I hope to make a statement at an early date.

Could the Minister say why we have had to wait so long for this committee, and when does he expect that we shall hear some of their findings so that the people of London can have the meat to which they are entitled?

If the hon. and gallant Gentleman wishes to know the date of the report of the committee, he had better put down a Question to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service.

Does that mean that until the committee have reported it will not be possible for the people of London to get the rations to which they were entitled by the bonus?

Yes, Sir. The committee of inquiry will not be a long-drawn-out affair. I understand from my right hon. Friend that it will be only a matter of days before we get the report.

Even so, that does not answer my question: do we have to wait until a committee has considered a particular dispute before the people of London can get their rations?

What is holding up the meat is this dispute, and therefore the meat cannot be distributed until the dispute is settled.