asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state in what way any public interest is served by the withholding of information as to the total quantities and values of wheat and wheaten flour imported during the years 1939 and 1940.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wheat and Tea Imports.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state in what way any public interest is served by the withholding of information as to the total quantities and values of tea imported during the years 1939 and 1940.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 4 together. I would refer the Deputy to the answer I gave him yesterday to a similar question in respect of coal.
I should like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary whether he is not aware that the withholding of information with regard to tea imports, which could have been made public month after month, is one of the things responsible for the fact that tea has been swept into storage of one kind or another in such a way that, on the one hand, the poor cannot get their tea supplies, and, on the other hand, the price of tea has been forced up by the shortage. Could the Parliamentary Secretary do what has not yet been done in the House and say what kind of national interest is served by withholding from the public the amount of tea brought into the country last year and the year before?
It seems to me that, if the Deputy cannot see for himself what particular national interest will be served, he is a much less clever man than I thought.
Is that the only answer we are going to get as to why ordinary information with regard to ordinary supplies of ordinary things brought into the country is withheld both from Parliament and the people?
Is the Parlimentary Secretary aware that there is almost a panic in connection with these things which a straight answer would allay?
There will be plenty of opportunity of discussing it on the Vote on Account.
I think that, when the public interest will not be served by giving certain information, the Deputy ought not to persist in looking for it from me.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary suggest that we should cease to ask these questions when, day in day out, danger is being created by the withholding of information of this kind?