63.
asked the Minister of Food whether he has taken any action to prevent the sale of a ration of three ounces of cheese weekly since the House resolved to pray for the revocation of Statutory Instrument No. 470.
Yes. In accordance with my statement to the House on 11th April, I have made a new Order which came into force on 13th April and fixed the ration at two ounces.
65.
asked the Minister of Food when he proposes to lay the new cheese rationing Order.
The new Order was laid on 12th April.
66.
asked the Minister of Food what is the total cost involved in the drafting and presentation of a new Order relating to the cheese ration, resulting from the annulment of a similar Order on 9th April.
I do not know.
67.
asked the Minister of Food on what statutory or other authority he has given guidance to the responsible trade organisations that they are not entitled to sell a three-ounce ration of cheese.
The hon. Member has perhaps misunderstood my reply to a supplementary question by the hon. Member for Streatham (Mr. Sandys), on Wednesday. The guidance I gave the trade and the public the previous day was on the constitutional position with regard to the annulment of the Order; no trader was informed that he was not entitled to sell a three ounce ration. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the notice issued to this effect.