asked the Minister of Food if he will arrange for open general licences to operate between this country and Belgium, so that canned goods importers can import adequate supplies of Belgian canned vegetables and other canned foods from Belgium at reasonable prices.

Some canned goods are under open general licence. I should like to buy foodstuffs from Belgium, as from other sources. Some canned vegetables are being bought from Belgium; normally we produce nearly all that we need of this commodity.

asked the Minister of Food what quantities, during the last year to the nearest available date, of U.S. canned oysters, Norwegian canned shrimps, dressed crab and similar commodities have been imported; and, in view of the food position in Britain, if he will cease importing these non-essentials in favour of more essential foodstuffs.

All these imports have been made privately under open general licence. Twelve cwt. of canned oysters came from the United States, and 76 tons of dressed crab and similar varieties from Norway, down to 28th February, the latest date for which figures are available. The exclusion of the imports would not, of course, enable us to get more basic foodstuffs.