asked the Minister of Food if he will make a statement regarding the future supplies of soap, having regard to the expected increase in the need for glycerine for the rearmament programme.

Glycerine is a byproduct of soap manufacture; its use in re-armament therefore will have no adverse effect on soap supplies.

asked the Minister of Food how his present stocks of inedible tallow and technical tallow compare with a year ago; how much he has purchased and sold during the last year; and how the present stocks compare with the amount necessary to avoid rationing soap, whether by the purse or by other means.

As my Department is a trading concern, I am not able to give the details for which the hon. Member asks. I can, however, assure him that there is at present no danger of a return to soap rationing through shortage of tallow.

asked the Minister of Food whether in view of the growing scarcity of raw materials, he can give an assurance that adequate supplies of soap will be maintained.

We have at present no reason to doubt that supplies will remain adequate.