asked the Minister of Food if he will arrange for an allocation of tea and sugar to ladies' hairdressing establishments to enable cups of tea to be provided to women undergoing the long and tedious process of permanent waving.

No, Sir.

Does the hon. and gallant Gentleman appreciate that when ladies' hairdressing takes place in a section of a departmental store which has a restaurant, or when the business is close to a café the law allows as many cups of tea as the customer wants, which is in marked contrast to what happens in the case of the small business in a residential or rural area? Is he not aware that the experts state that to give fair play all round the additional amount of tea required works out at only two tea leaves per week for every five people in this country over 18 years of age?

I am afraid I am not in a position to check the hon. Gentleman's calculations, but the policy is that the issue of rationed food must be confined to catering establishments. Where there is a large store which may have a catering licence, that is all right, but I cannot allow the issue of rationed food to other than catering establishments. I would point out that there is nothing to prevent such places issuing unrationed commodities to their customers who are waiting.

Does the Minister suggest that women undergoing this process should have coffee without sugar? If tea rationing is to be abandoned in the near future, this problem will not arise.

In view of the national importance of this Question, would my right hon. and gallant Friend consider giving those concerned the chance of having beer instead of tea if they want it?

asked the Minister of Food the number of meals served in industrial canteens in 1944 and 1950, respectively.

Statistics are not collected continuously, but samples taken in particular weeks show that the number of meals served weekly in industrial canteens rose from 55 million in December, 1944, to 58.6 million in November, 1950.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will consider introducing regulations enforcing the display of price tags on meat in shops.

I have asked representatives of the meat trade for their views on this matter.

Will the Minister press this matter rather more energetically? Is he not even aware that women buying meat in the shops have great difficulty when prices change—as they are now about to change even more, with the reduction in the subsidies? Is he not aware that they have great difficulty in checking the price of a lump of meat on the counter with the list on the wall and making sure that they are being fairly treated about price? Will not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman press this matter with some vigour?

I am most anxious to do all I can in this matter, but I would rather do it with co-operation than without it.

asked the Minister of Food if he is yet in a position to make a statement on the arrangements he is making for a mission to undertake discussions with the Argentine Government respecting future meat shipments.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will make a further statement on the progress of the negotiations about the procurement of meat from Argentina.

No, Sir.

In view of the increasing shortage of meat, will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman give an undertaking that he will not keep the promise made during the General Election to send private traders out to scour the earth, competing one with another for a scarce commodity?

Cannot the right hon. and gallant Gentleman appreciate that we have no wish to embarrass him on this matter, and, unlike the late Opposition, no wish to be unhelpful; but will he not do his utmost to speed up these talks, because we are reaching the time when we should expect some progress to be reported?

I will certainly do my best in the matter of time and I hope to improve on the performance of the late Administration, who took one year and 10 days over the last negotiations.

asked the Minister of Food what arrangements he has made to purchase meat of any kind in Germany for import into this country for consumption here.

I am always ready to consider offers of carcase meat from any source, but I am not aware that Germany has any exportable surplus at present.

My Question asks whether my right hon. and gallant Friend has made any purchases of meat of any kind to date. He did not answer that part.

I rather gathered that my hon. and gallant Friend asked what arrangements we have made. I am not aware that there is any exportable surplus at present. As a matter of fact, in the last 12 months Germany has been a considerable importer of meat from abroad.

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that there is no meat rationing in Germany, and that the price compares very favourably with meat purchased in this country; and is he further aware that it might well be possible to increase meat production in that country by exporting from this country tractors or other mechanised vehicles?

asked the Minister of Food (1) the total tonnage of frozen or chilled meat imported for, and consumed by, the British Army of the Rhine in 1951; and a similar figure which is his forecast for consumption by the British Army of the Rhine in 1952;

During 1951, 5,402 tons of meat and offal were shipped direct from the exporting countries to Germany for the use of B.A.O.R.; during 1952 we expect about 7,900 tons to be so supplied. As regards the second Question, prices of meat in Germany are high and it is more economic to supply the British Army from meat which would otherwise come to the United Kingdom.

Could my right hon. and gallant Friend give the difference in price which makes him say that prices are high? That was not my experience last week-end.

It is a question of purchasing at the suppliers' prices and those prices are very much higher indeed—almost three times as high.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the sanitary nuisance caused by the dump of feedingstuffs on Bedford Mill site, Oldham; and how long it will be before this site is cleared.

The site is now cleared.

While I thank my right hon. and gallant Friend for his assistance in this matter, will he give an assurance that in future his Department will consult with the sanitary authorities before placing these unpleasant things in their areas?

I will certainly look into that. These were rather peculiar circumstances altogether, but I will certainly look into the matter.

Is the Minister aware that, unlike the hon. Member for Oldham, East (Mr. Horobin), most of the people in Oldham regarded this nuisance as highly insanitary?

asked the Minister of Food what stocks of animal feedingstuffs are held at present.

It would not be in the national interest to give this information.

That is what the Socialist Minister told me. Will the Minister say whether he is satisfied that there are sufficient feedingstuffs, in view of the great importance of meeting the submarine menace in case of warfare?

In this instance I think my predecessor was right, if I may say so, but, dealing with the second part of the supplementary question, obviously I cannot say there are enough feedingstuffs because we could do with very much more in order to increase our home production. Further than that, I could not says.

asked the Minister of Food if he can yet announce the allocation of sugar bonuses for jam making in 1952.

The House is aware that the 10 oz. sugar ration can only be maintained by reducing the number of bonuses. This summer I shall only be able to find two extra pounds of sugar. I think it will best meet the convenience of the public and the requirements of the fruit season if one pound is issued in May and one in July.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman state how this compares with the issues in 1951?

It is down on 1951, but the same as in 1950. I would remind the hon. Gentleman that the sugar issue for this year had already been cut by 75,000 tons before I came into office.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the housewives will receive this announcement with great disappointment? Is he aware that the 1951 ration was 10 oz. throughout the whole year and that in addition we had a bonus jam issue in April, May, June, July, August, September and Christmas? Is this the kind of treatment we are to expect from the right hon. and gallant Gentleman? Surely he can do better than that.

If any housewife expresses disappointment to the hon. Lady, I hope that in fairness she will refer to my predecessor.

That is a very thin excuse. The right hon. and gallant Gentleman must think up something better than that.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is yet able to say if eggs will be sold off ration this year.

I cannot yet say.

Can my right hon. and gallant Friend say how it is that this afternoon an itinerant street trader was offering a whole barrowload of eggs in Oxford Street marked "Suitable, for cooking and frying"?

They were probably marked "H."

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that grade 1 eggs purchased by packing stations at 3s. 7d. a dozen are sold by retailers at the rate of 5s. a dozen; and who gets the difference.

Yes, Sir, but smaller eggs are sold at various prices down to 3s. a dozen. Over the whole range the difference is less than the cost of collecting, packing and distributing home-produced eggs.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that he is at one and the same time overcharging the public and under-paying the egg producers? Will he, perhaps, ask the Lord President of the Council to do a spot of co-ordination in this regard, too?

I think that the hon. and gallant Gentleman will feel happier to find that the price over the year is an average price; and the average difference between the price that the producer gets and the consumer pays is not enough to pay for packaging and distribution.

asked the Minister of Food the position regarding supply of eggs this year, and bonus issues of sugar for jam.

In the first 12 weeks of the year there were 29 allocations of eggs, on average, compared with 27½ during the corresponding period last year. As to future supplies, I cannot add to my reply to the hon. Member on 25th February last. With regard to bonus issues of sugar for jam, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to the hon. Member for Dartford (Mr. Dodds).

Can the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say whether we are now to get the same number of eggs as we have had over the last five years—two years ago, for example, they were off the ration altogether—or have the hens gone broody under a Tory Government? Is the Minister also aware that his reply about the bonus issues of sugar for jam is so disgracefully inadequate that the Housewives' League will rise up out of its, grave?

Is the Minister satisfied that he is getting all the eggs that he ought to get at the collecting stations from the poulterers?

If the hens have gone broody, I can only say they went much more broody last year, because supplies this year are slightly better than they were under the late Government. It is impossible to say what the future position will be.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that there is discontent because of the manner in which married and single women, respectively, employed in his Department's offices in Scotland are being dismissed; and if he will state on what principle women in his Department are selected for dismissal.

I am not aware of any general discontent on this subject in Scotland. Temporary staff in the clerical grades are selected for discharge according to the principle of first in last out laid down in the national redundancy Agreement.

Will the Minister make some inquiries about the discontent, because I have evidence that there is discontent? Will he say how he sees that there is fair play in this matter—how he distinguishes between married women and single women, and married women with families with those who have not families?

On the question of redundancy, the principle of first in, last out, was accepted at the time, and I understood that it was accepted by the staff association. I suggest to the hon. and learned Gentleman that the only possible way of dealing with this matter is through their staff association.

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that the only way to stop shortages and all these complaints is to close down the Ministry of Food and to stop bulk purchase, because if we restrict consumption we restrict production?

asked the Minister of Food how many members of his staff in Aberdeen have been dismissed this year; how many more he intends to dismiss and when; and why they are being dismissed.

No staff have been dismissed in Aberdeen so far this year. The abolition of National Registration will result in a saving of about 17 staff in Aberdeen, but they will not be dismissed before the end of May.

But for those who are dismissed, or are about to be dismissed, is it proposed to offer them any alternative employment or are they simply to swell the numbers of the unemployed?

We will do what we can about that, but I am sure the hon. and learned Gentleman agrees that if they are redundant it is not in the national interest to keep them on.

asked the Minister of Food what imported foods, on which a subsidy was subsequently paid, bore import duties during the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will give the amount of duty paid on each type of food.

As the reply contains a number of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Food if he will delay reducing the food subsidies until such time as the proposed legislation to improve retirement pensions, sickness benefit and unemployment benefit has been introduced and taken effect.

I cannot at present add to the statement of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer when opening his Budget.

Does not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman think there is something mean and despicable and dishonest in allowing food prices to rise, on reducing the subsidies, before the compensation which the Chancellor of the Exchequer promised in his Budget speech becomes effective? Has the right hon. and gallant Gentleman no qualms of conscience about the noble Lord who sits in another place and about what he said during the General Election? Will he not meet my wishes in this matter and thus avoid undeserved hardship being imposed on millions?

All I can say is that we shall, of course, do what we possibly can to see that, as far as timing is concerned, the changes are made so as to cause the least possible hardship to the housewife.

Were not increases in price made under the last Government without any compensation whatsoever?

With reference to the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Jarrow (Mr. Ferny-hough), could the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say whether this is a matter of Departmental administration or whether it is one of those matters of policy for which the Lord President of the Council and not the Minister of Food is responsible?

I can only say that it has been found impossible to introduce changes in social benefits under a period of several months, as the last Administration indeed discovered.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman answer the question of who is responsible for this matter of high policy, on the point put to him by my hon. Friend—is it himself, as Minister of Food, or is it the supervising Minister, the Lord President?

That does not arise out of the Question, but I will tell the right hon. Gentleman—I am responsible.

As this is a matter of first importance to the aged, the sick and the unemployed of this country, would the Minister give an undertaking now that these two things will be synchronised?

The right hon. Lady must realise that it is impossible to synchronise them. I repeat what I said, that we shall do everything we possibly can to bring the changes as near as possible in order to cause the least hardship.

asked the Minister of Food (1) why he proposes to withdraw the food subsidy from sugar, tea, fats and bacon yet not from butter;

I will, with permission, answer these Questions together.

On a point of order. I ask for your guidance, Mr. Speaker. Is it not becoming rather customary for Ministers to try to answer together Questions which have no relevance one to another? I would ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether Question 19 and Question 20 seem the same to you. They ask two different things: one asks for a statement on prices and the other for a reason, and I should have thought they would have been answered separately.

I think we had better hear the answer. Perhaps it may manage to combine the two matters.

I think the hon. Lady will realise that the answer is quite relevant to the two Questions and that they can be taken together, because the hon. Lady asks why it is proposed to withdraw the food subsidy from certain foods, and—

On a point of order. I should like your Ruling, on this, Mr. Speaker. As I understand the position, as to whether a Minister answers Questions together or not is at the discretion of the Member putting down the Question. If permission is refused, is it not then incumbent upon the Minister to answer each Question separately?

I think it is always better for the dispatch of business to have the answer, and then, if it is unsatisfactory, to allow a supplementary question to elucidate the matter.

I think that the hon. Lady will realise, when she hears the answer, that it is quite fair.

That seems to be the answer to Question 19. Are we to assume from the answer that the subsidies are not to be withdrawn from sugar, fats, bacon and butter?

No, the hon. Lady cannot assume anything of the kind. As she must know, when we have a ceiling above which we must not go, on what particular commodity the price is raised is a matter which depends entirely upon the Minister, but, as I have said, no such proposals have yet been made.

Are any of the subsidies on any of these foods to be withdrawn?

The hon. Lady will really have to wait and see. As my right hon. Friend said, from time to time announcements will be made. But no such proposals as she has suggested have been made.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman tell us when we may expect the worst—and could he tell us without referring to the grievous burden laid upon his shoulders by the late Government?

May I ask for an answer to Question 20? I am not being obstructive, but I do submit that I have not had an answer to that yet.

The hon. Lady was asking something which it is impossible to answer. She asked me to tell her what the prices will be as a consequence of certain proposals, which, as I have said, have not been made.

Since the Minister tells us that these prices will rise from time to time, could he not give us an assurance that the rises will synchronise with the increase in social benefits?

As I said in answer to a previous Question, we shall do everything we possibly can to bring the changes as near together as possible.

I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.

asked the Minister of Food what further progress has been made as to the replacement of the agene treatment of flour by a substance which is less toxic.

As the reply to this Question is rather long I propose, with the hon. Member's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Food whether his attention has been drawn to the toxic action of methionine sulphoximine, a product of the action of agene on flour; and to what extent it inhibits the action of cholinesterase in brain tissue.

As regards the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave him on 19th November, 1951.

While thanking the Minister for his courtesy and kindness in sending me a copy of "Nature," which I have read, may I ask him if he is aware that we suspect that any inhibition of the action of cholinesterase brings about forgetfulness and faulty memory? Can he tell the House whether it is this, namely, the use of agene in flour, that accounts for the Government's forgetfulness in regard to their promises at the General Election?

I can say definitely, speaking for myself, that I have no experience whatever of this stimulant to which the hon. Gentleman refers.

asked the Minister of Food the quantity and value of each group of commodities bought in bulk from overseas by his Department in the year 1951; and to what extent he estimated that they will be varied in 1952.

In reply to the first part of the Question, I will, with permission, circulate a table of figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that for many years the Conservative Party have campaigned against bulk purchase as being the principal cause of the rise in the cost of living? Will he, therefore, explain why he continues that policy?

If the hon. Gentleman puts a Question down. All I have done is to answer the Question on the Paper.

asked the Minister of Food if he will restore the cuts in the fat allocation to master bakers and confectioners from 42 per cent. of datum to 75 per cent. of datum in view of the hardship suffered particularly to small businesses.

No, Sir. The additional imports that would be required make the proposal impracticable. But I have found it possible to give some easement to small bakers and confectioners by arranging that those with an allocation before the cut of up to 3 cwt. per 8-week period will be exempt from the cut, while those with an allocation of over 3 cwt. will receive at least 3 cwt.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that his reply is a very favourable one, and that it will now be possible for small bakers to extend their business without sacrificing the quality of their products?

I think so, and I am very glad that it should be so. I only wish that we could have done more.

asked the Minister of Food how many licences to slaughter pigs were issued by his Department to backyard pig owner consumers during 12 months ended on the latest convenient date; how many pigs were so slaughtered; whether he will now relax the appropriate Regulations in order to stimulate backyard pig production and increase food supplies; and whether he will make a statement.

In the year to 29th February, 1952, 381,358 licences were issued to slaughter 387,424 pigs. After careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that the Regulations do not go beyond what is necessary in the public interest, and do not deter those who want to keep pigs.

Would my right hon. and gallant Friend not be prepared to give more ample recognition to this noble and prolific character, the backyard pig, which is capable of making a much greater contribution to household food supplies than it is making at present? The reason it is not making a greater contribution is because of my right hon. and gallant Friend's restrictions on its slaughter.

I cannot quite accept the latter part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question. As a matter of fact, we do recognise the importance of the part that the backyard pig producers play, because, of the total number of pigs in this country, one-eighth belong to the backyard pig producers, and we do everything we possibly can, in the circumstances that obtain today, to assist them.

asked the Minister of Food how far he proposes to make changes in the system of the licensing of retail butchers.

I have invited the butchery trade to let me have their views, which I wish to consider before reaching a decision on this subject.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the proposal to withdraw completely the subsidy from tea will cause the greatest hardship to old age pensioners; and if he will therefore consider the granting of some concession to the old people.

I would refer the hon. Member to the prospective changes in National Assistance and pensions announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in opening his Budget. These measures will be specifically designed to help old age pensioners.

Does not the Minister realise that some of the price increases have already taken place, and that the old age pensioners are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain a standard of living at all commensurate with what they are entitled to; and would he give a guarantee that at any rate the tea subsidy will not be taken off before some kind of assistance is given to the old age pensioner?

I can only repeat what I said before. Everything possible will be done to see that these are synchronised. At least we can say that some attempt is being made to compensate for the disadvantages.

In view of the obvious importance of tea to the old age pensioner, can the Minister explain why the Government selected tea for the complete withdrawal of the subsidy? [HON. MEMBERS: "Answer.") Had the Government no grounds for doing this at all; and if they had grounds, can the Minister explain what they were?

We had plenty of grounds, and at the proper time I am prepared to explain them. As I pointed out before, the commodities upon which the Government decide depend, as in the right hon. Gentleman's time, on the circumstances, and I advise the right hon. Gentleman to wait and see what the position is like.

Can the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that when the increase in old age pensions takes place, it will be retrospective, on the same basis as the doctors' increase?

asked the Minister of Food if he will raise the minimum fruit content of jam manufactured for sale in this country to not less than 50 per cent.

The minimum fruit standards for jam are being reviewed and a decision will be announced as soon as possible.

Is the Minister aware that if he did this he would be able to cut the allocation to manufacturers by about 25 per cent., assist the horticultural industry, stop the wastage of fruit and give the housewives better value for their money?

That is what is being looked at at the moment.

asked the Minister of Food what steps are taken by his Department to prevent greengrocers from including decayed vegetables and fruit in their sales to housewives.

The remedy is in the housewife's own hands. She can and should refuse to buy any such produce.

Could the Minister say, then, where the housewife can get vegetables that are fresh? Does he not think that it would be very easy to insist that greengrocers, like butchers, should not be permitted to sell for human consumption that which is unfit?

I should have thought the hon. Lady would not have gone to the same shop twice, if that were so. Surely it is in the hands of the housewives. I cannot imagine a greengrocer staying very long in business if the products he sells are as the hon. Lady says they are.

That is how they have been keeping in business.

asked the Minister of Food how far provision for refrigeration is being made at the new Government slaughterhouses to test the economy of reserving in cold store part of the increasingly heavy supplies of fat cattle and lambs marketed in the autumn at the end of the grazing season.

No express provision is being made, but I intend that experiments should be made in adapting the chilled room accommodation.

Does my right hon. and gallant Friend not agree that it is high time somebody started to tackle this problem so that we make the best use of home-killed meat throughout the year?

Steps have already been taken to this effect, as I mentioned in my reply.

Would the Minister give the House some information about the nature of these experiments? As he knows, this is an important matter. It is essential to try to even out the supplies of meat, if we can, over the whole year. We are all embarrassed by this flush in the autumn. Could he give the House some details of the experiments that are taking place?

I could not do so in question and answer. The right hon. Gentleman knows as well as I do that this is an extremely difficult matter for a country which is not equipped for this kind of industry, but we are, and have been for some time, seeing if we can possibly do something to avoid the flush which we get in the autumn.

asked the Minister of Food to what extent he is arranging to buy cheese from Canada this year.

I regret that, so far as we can see at present, our balance of payments difficulties make it impossible for us to spend any dollars on Canadian cheese this year. The Canadian Government have been informed.

If it is a matter of taking some produce from Canada this year, could we not tell the Canadian Government that we would much prefer to have cheese than apples?

Will the Minister bear in mind that the best source of calcium in the nation's diet comes from cheese, milk and eggs; that the cheese ration is very inadequate at present; and will he do all he can to increase it?

asked the Minister of Food how much milk was used for cheese making in 1950 and 1951; and how much he proposes to allocate for this purpose in 1952.

One hundred and twenty-six million gallons in 1950 and 103 million gallons in 1951. I hope to make a little more cheese for the ration in 1952 than in 1951, but this is dependent on the season.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to improve the quality and quantity of meat sausages; and to what extent the milk powder elements are now eliminated.

The supply of manufacturing meat does not at present permit any increase in the meat content of pork or beef sausages or in their quantity. The inclusion of a limited proportion of milk powder in pork and beef sausages is still permitted and many manufacturers are glad to adopt this method of increasing the supply of sausages for the public.

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend not aware that the pig population of the United Kingdom has increased by 50 per cent. in the last 15 months? Where is the extra pork going to? Why must we continue so to use these milk by-products? Cannot we have a decent sausage again?

My hon. Friend asks me where this pig meat is going to. I can give him one destination and that is the increased bacon ration.