asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of his recent decision to take oatmeal off points, he will now enable oatcakes to be available without bread units or other form of rationing.

Oatcakes were put on points when it became necessary to ration flour, bread and flour confectionery. As output cannot at present be increased because of the shortage of fats, I am unable to accept the suggestion that they should be released from points. Some form of rationing is essential to secure the proper distribution of available supplies as long as bread and flour con fectionery to which oatcakes form an alternative are rationed, and the points scheme offers the best solution of the problem.