asked the Minister of Food the additional annual cost to the consumer of the recent rise in the price of tea; whether he proposes to make a reduction in other commodities to balance; what those commodities are; and what is the amount of the proposed reduction.

The recently announced increase in the price of tea to the domestic consumer will amount to £6 millions in a full year; for the rest I would refer the hon. Member to my answer on 12th May to the hon. Member for Mile End.

asked the Minister of Food on what grounds the offer of the 1946–47 tea crop of Ceylon to this country at 1s. 9d. per lb., made during the negotiations in the last 12 months with the Government of Ceylon, was refused.

I know of no such offer