asked the President of the Board of Trade from which countries 24,528 cwts. of new potatoes were imported into this country during December, 1953.

The countries were Cyprus, Italy, Channel Islands and the Irish Republic.

:Is it really necessary to import new potatoes at that time of the year, because it prejudices British agriculture later?

I do not think that any new potatoes are grown in this country in December.

:At a time when a great many people who grew potatoes last year, including myself, are having great difficulty in disposing of their crop, is it not rather unnecessary to spend foreign currency on importing new potatoes which are very inferior to the British product?

:Three of these sources of supply are open and free, being members of the Commonwealth.