Skip to main content

Food Supplies

Volume 105: debated on Tuesday 16 April 1918

The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.

Potatoes

50.

asked the Prime Minister whether in the event of farmers responding to his urgent appeal to increase substantially the acreage under potatoes, he can give some definite assurance that the necessary labour will be available later in the year for lifting and clamping them, and that railway transport will be available to carry them from glutted areas to those where the supplies are inadequate?

Every possible effort will be made by the Government to secure the result desired by my hon. Friend.

Game Laws (Scotland)

63.

asked the Lord Advocate whether, in view of the shortage of beef and the price of all kinds of fish, steps have been or will be taken to modify the Game Laws, thereby making available for human consumption a larger supply of rabbits, hares, and game?

A number of Orders have been made by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland under powers contained in the Defence of the Realm Regulations, which Orders, although designed primarily for the protection of crops, have incidentally increased the amount of rabbits, hares, and game available for food. This policy will be continued, and, if necessary, extended.

County War Executive Committees

66.

asked the President of the Hoard of Agriculture by whom the county war executive committees were appointed; and what were the qualifications considered in making the appointments?

County war agricultural committees were appointed by the county councils at the request of the Board on the recommendation of the Milner Committee in 1915. The object was to constitute a body of agriculturists representing the county council and the principal farmers' organisations in the county. Under the Cultivation of Lands Order, 19th January. 1917, it is provided that each county war agricultural committee should appoint not less than four, and not more than seven, of its members to form an executive committee, and that additional members might be appointed by the Board. Under this Order the original members of the agricultural executive committees were appointed. In selecting additional members the Board have endeavoured to secure that the interests of both owners and cultivators of the land are adequately represented, and that the committees should be composed of the best practical agriculturists in the counties.

Poultry Food

65.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the shortage of food for poultry, he will consider the advisability of importing barley from Northern Spain, where a large surplus is reported; and whether he has considered bringing this barley into the Channel ports and conveying it to England in ships now returning in ballast?

The importation of foreign cereals engages the constant attention of my Department. It appears, however, that even were there barley for export from Spain, shipping would not be available, as no steamers discharging at Spanish ports return to this country in ballast.

Bacon

72.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what amount of bacon has recently been landed in Liverpool in excess of the now regulated demand; how much of this has been lost or allowed to become: unfit for human food, and what steps are being taken in. the matter?

I have been asked to reply. In regulating the demand by fixing the bacon rations it was necessary to consider not only the present rate of importation, but the anticipated rates of the next few months. As is stated in answer to the hon. Member for Longford last Saturday, it is necessary now to place in store as much bacon as is not needed for immediate consumption, so as to cover the requirements of the summer period during which importation is diminished. I am not aware that any bacon has been lost or allowed to become unfit for human food.

Can the hon. Gentle-man say whether any of this bacon has been allowed to go through to Ireland, where it used formerly entirely to go?

I should require notice of that question. I could not say whether any recently imported bacon has again found its way to Ireland.

Will the hon. Gentleman suggest to the Food Controller, now that there is a surplus of American and Canadian bacon in Liverpool and throughout England, that he should take off the restrictions and allow some to be sent to Ireland, and, vice vers â, send from Ireland hams that the people in Great Britain want, and, indeed, take off these restrictions altogether?

There is only a surplus in the sense that it will be required in the months when we cannot continue to import it. So far as I know, Ireland will have its opportunity of sharing in these quantities like any other part of the United Kingdom.

Does not the hon. Gentleman consider that these restrictions are an abuse upon trade in general?

No, Sir; they serve a very useful purpose indeed. We imposed restrictions on the exportation of bacon from Ireland which Ireland wanted. If Ireland now wishes to secure some of the quantities received from foreign countries, that is a matter for arrangement.

Are there at present cargoes of bacon at Liverpool which are not allowed to be discharged?

I hope there may be, but I am not quite certain of it. Every step is taken consistent with the available labour and opportunity of discharge to get the bacon out of the boats as quickly as possible into cold storage.

Has the hon. Gentleman's attention been called to a statement made by a leading official of the Docker's Union calling attention to undischarged cargoes of bacon at Bristol and Liverpool?

Yes; and if the hon. Member sees the papers this evening he may see some answer to the statement.

Irish Cattle

74.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he is aware that the price paid for cattle belonging to the Irish farmer is unrestricted and frequently exceeds 100s. a live cwt., whilst the price paid to the British farmer is restricted to 76s. a live cwt.; will he say on what grounds this financial advantage is accorded to Irish farmers; does the British taxpayer pay the difference; and what is the estimated cost to the Treasury for 1918 of this privilege?

Was not a guarantee given to the wholesale butchers, and has not something like £45,000 a week been paid under that guarantee?

A considerable sum has been paid. As to the exact sum per week I should require notice.

Does not it amount to this, that the British farmer as a taxpayer is subsidising his Irish competitor?

I am not able to argue the matter, but I do not for a moment accept that construction.

79.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in view of the fact that farmers have been asked to produce a maximum amount of beef, and that, owing to the unrestricted prices of cattle in Ireland, the usual number of two and three-year-old store cattle are not coming over from Ireland, he will fix similar prices for cattle in Ireland as in England and Scotland, so that farmers may obtain the raw material for beef production without which a famine in beef in the autumn and winter months is probable?

It is not practicable to fix maximum prices for live cattle in Ireland, owing to the difficulties involved in setting up a grading system in the markets in that country. Steps are, however, now-being taken to set up at the British ports to which Irish cattle are consigned the necessary machinery for their grading and allocation. When this system is fully operative, prices for fat cattle in Ireland should fall automatically to the level of the controlled prices in Great Britain, and the price of store cattle should be correspondingly reduced.

Does the hon. Gentleman mean in this answer that the prices fixed by the Food Controller for bacon and butter will not apply to England any more than to Ireland?

No; that is a different matter altogether untouched either by question or answer.

To what Minister is the duty entrusted of fixing the price of cattle in Ireland?

The price of cattle is fixed by the Food Controller both in the case of Ireland and of this country.

Would it not be far better to raise the price of English cattle as well as Irish? You are afraid to do it.

Is it not the general producers you have to consider rather than the Irish Members in this House?

We have taken action on the line which alone considers the mass of the consumers.

Home-Produced Meat (Derbyshire)

75.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the county of Derbyshire is limited to its own area for its supply of home-produced meat; whether he is aware that the county has a large industrial population engaged in coal mining and the icon, steel, and textile industries; that the system of agriculture is mainly that of dairying, with littlemeat or corn production; and that the county formerly depended on the neighbouring counties of Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Lincolnshire for its meat supplies; and whether he can organise the various supplies of the province of which Derbyshire is a part as a whole, so that a fair share of the fresh meat supplies of the province may be allocated to Derbyshire?

Under the present scheme for the distribution of livestock Derbyshire is limited to its own livestock area for its supplies of home-produced meat but as this area includes the adjacent counties of Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire. Nottinghamshire, and Rutlandshire, the latter part of the question does not arise. I may, however, state that both the Derby butchers and the local food control committees express themselves satisfied with the arrangements made.

Tuberculosis Confiscations

77.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food under what conditions compensation is granted for tuberculosis confiscations; and out of what fund the money is provided and the amount already paid?

Compensation is now paid in respect of all cattle condemned as suffering from tuberculosis, except in the case of cattle placed by grading committees in the fourth grade. All claims for such compensation must be accompanied by certificates from the chairman, or deputy-chairman of auctioneers at the grading market, and the inspector by whom the meat was actually condemned. Payments are made from the Central Live Stock Fund. The amount paid to 15th April, 1918, was £5,470.

Perishable Food

78.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether traders have frequently been left with a considerable surplus of perishable food which has gone to loss; and will he say if any compensation is provided by the Government or are any steps about to be taken in the matter?

I have no information to support the suggestion made in the first part of the question, and I know no reason why traders should suffer a loss on the-grounds alleged. If the hon. Member refers to the possibility that traders may find themselves unable to dispose of stocks of rationed foods of a perishable nature, I may point out that food control committees have power to grant strictly temporary licences to traders to sell such foods-without coupons where it is clear that it might otherwise be wasted. It is essential, however, that such licences should not be granted regularly, and it is the business of traders to adjust their supplies to their rationed demands.

Will the hon. Gentleman call upon the food committee for a Report in this connection, and I think he will discover that a great deal of food has perished in this way?

The committee are not slow to report any of these things without asking for information.