Food Supplies Groundnut Scheme 19. Mr. Hurd asked the Minister of Food what report of the progress of harvest under the groundnut scheme in Tanganyika he has received. The Minister of Food (Mr. Strachey) Since the third week in March, when the crop prospects were good, most, but not all, of Tanganyika has suffered a widespread and severe drought, which has seriously affected both the groundnut and sunflower crops in the Central and Western Province, causing premature ripening. In consequence, harvesting of groundnuts began in the second week of April, a month before the normal time. No figures of yields will be available until the crop is decorticated at the central depots, but this year's crop in the Central Province, where most of the acreage already cleared lies, will obviously be seriously affected. On the other hand, it is encouraging to notice that the Southern Province, where by far the greater part of the scheme's acreage will lie, has not suffered nearly so severely from this general sub-continental drought. Mr. Hurd I am sure we all agree with the Minister that it is very unfortunate that there has been this drought in Tanganyika, but of course that happens fairly regularly in those parts. Can he tell us a little about the prospective yield of the sunflower crop which is, I think, a bigger acreage than the groundnuts at Kongwa, because that was going to contribute very considerably to the total quantity of oil seeds we were to expect? Mr. Strachey I cannot agree with the implications in the first part of the supplementary question that droughts occur very frequently in that part of the world. The rainfall is quite well known and the hon. Member can look up the average tables for himself. Droughts of this severity are quite rare, as a matter of fact. It will certainly affect the sunflower crop in Kongwa, as well as the groundnut crop. We do not know what will be the yield. Mr. Oliver Stanley Does the right hon. Gentleman now wish to alter his statement, made on 14th March, that many thousands of tons of this groundnut oil would this year go into the margarine ration? Mr. Strachey I think the right hon. Gentleman is misquoting me. I do not think I used the words "many thousands of tons." But certainly I do not want to alter the statement—which I think was the statement—that there would be a contribution to the margarine ration this year, and I repeat that statement. It will not be so large as it would have been if the crop had been larger. Sir Ralph Glyn With regard to the comparative failure in the East, will the right hon. Gentleman say whether he will pay more attention to the surplus quantity of groundnuts in the West of Africa? Mr. Strachey For the last 18 months we have been paying the most close attention to the problem of moving that surplus down the Kano Railway, as the hon. Gentleman knows. I am glad to say the weekly movements now are nearly 2,000 tons up on last year. 20. Mr. Hurd asked the Minister of Food if, in view of the resignations of seven of the senior staff of the Overseas Food Corporation employed on the groundnut scheme in Tanganyika, he will strengthen the board of the Overseas Food Corporation to ensure that there is at headquarters a proper appreciation of the practical problems involved in making a success of this scheme. Mr. Strachey I cannot accept the hon. Member's implication that the resignation of any executive in East Africa calls for special measures to strengthen the Board of the Overseas Food Corporation. In fact, almost all the changes that have taken place recently in the senior staff in East Africa result from the determination of the chairman and members of the Board to re-organise, build up and maintain an efficient local establishment, with a full appreciation of the practical problems involved in the enterprise. I can assure the House that the Board is fully aware of the need for practical experience. That is why the chairman and the majority of the members of the Board have been in East Africa almost continuously for the past three months. Mr. Hurd Does not the Minister know that things are at sixes and sevens out there and that orders and counter-orders have been given each week? In view of the very disturbed state of mind of many of the staff, would he not think it wise now to strengthen the Board, as the Question suggests, by adding some people who have their feet on the ground and who already have had experience of African conditions? Mr. Strachey No, Sir. I cannot agree with any of those implications and I do not agree for one moment that orders and counter-orders are being given. I do know that a small number of executives—four or five—have resigned and have been replaced by others and that, I think, was very wise action on the part of the Board. Mr. Walter Fletcher Does not the Minister consider that these resignations point to the necessity of his reviewing the whole of this scheme in the new situation which exists in the world? Further, on the question of having experienced people, would he remember that he appointed as the original people at the head of this Corporation those who had had no experience at all in Africa? Mr. Strachey No, Sir. Mr. Wakefield, for example, had 15 years' experience of agriculture in Tanganyika. These statements have no relation whatever to the facts. Mr. Stanley Would the right hon. Gentleman say whether these seven resignations referred to were, in fact, voluntary resignations or whether they were, as he has given the House to believe by his answers, dismissals? Mr. Strachey They were different in different cases. Two of them were doctors who were going back to other medical work in this country, and they were entirely voluntary, but some of the others were, in fact, at the wish of the Board. Mr. Frederic Harris Does the Minister really know who these executives are, because on the last occasion in the House, when I raised this issue, he made a mistake? Mr. Strachey I have a list of their names before me, if that is what is meant by the hon. Member. Knacker's Yard Order 21. Mr. Swingler asked the Minister of Food if he has considered a letter from the Stafford Rural District Council about the Knacker's Yard Order of 1948; and if he is prepared to amend the order on the lines suggested by its Chief Sanitary Inspector. Mr. Strachey The Council's suggestions raise important practical and legal questions and will take some little time to consider. I will send my hon. Friend a copy of the reply to their letter when a decision is reached. Pigs (Slaughtering) 22. Mr. Skeffington-Lodge asked the Minister of Food what is the practice of his Department in administering the words undue hardship, which, under Section 3 of circular LLP dealing with pig slaughtering, exempt pig keepers from taking their animals to a depot under his control. Mr. Strachey We do not ask pig keepers to take their pigs more than five miles; and transport difficulties due, for instance, to had weather, are taken into consideration. Mr. Skeffington-Lodge In particular cases, where farmers are gravely inconvenienced, will my right hon. Friend see whether undue hardship is not a factor, so that they may have their pigs killed on the spot if they so desire? There are such cases in my constituency. Mr. Strachey Perhaps my hon. Friend will give me particulars. Restaurant Meals (Maximum Charge) 23. Mr. Keeling asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the increased cost of food as a result of the Budget, he will raise the maximum charge that may be made for meals at restaurants. Mr. Strachey The average cost of a restaurant meal will be increased by only one-eighth of a penny by these changes. Mr. Keeling Would not the Minister consider abolishing altogether this wartime restriction, which is so vexatious, so bad for the tourist trade, and is not found necessary in any other country? Mr. Strachey That is an entirely different question. Food Parcels 24. Sir Waldron Smithers asked the Minister of Food if, when British subjects send food parcels abroad in accordance with the regulations, he will arrange with the Postmaster-General to increase the weight sufficiently to allow for the containers, particulars of which have been sent him. Mr. Strachey The 7 lb. limit is based on the international postal scale for parcels. The next higher weight would be 11 lb., and we do not allow parcels weighing more than 7 lb. to be sent, since they might be profitably re-sold and a considerable illicit export trade in food develop. 36. Mr. Boyd-Carpenter asked the Minister of Food whether his attention has been drawn to circulars sent to people in this country by an organisation described as Home Parcel Service of 5c Connaught Place, New Delhi, and from other similar organisations inviting persons to order parcels of food to be sent to them in this country; and how far his regulations permit persons in this country to act on the invitation contained in these circulars. Mr. Strachey Yes, Sir. We have no jurisdiction over traders abroad who send these circulars, but anyone in the United Kingdom buying rationed foods offered in this way is committing an offence against the Food Rationing (General Provisions) Order. I understand that it is also an offence against the Import of Goods (Control) Order to import any goods without a Board of Trade licence. Mr. Boyd-Carpenter In view of the fact that circulars of this kind do come in considerable quantities, and of the fact that many of the recipients are quite unaware of the legal position, will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to make that legal position known, so that however silly the law may be, it can be enforced? Mr. Strachey Yes, Sir, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and I are issuing a joint statement on the matter. Poultry (Control) 26. Lady Tweedsmuir asked the Minister of Food at what date he proposes to decontrol the price and distribution of poultry. 34. Mr. Skeffington-Lodge asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that poultry is regularly being sold at more than the controlled price; and whether he now considers that poultry should be decontrolled. 41. Brigadier Medlicott asked the Minister of Food when the price and distribution of poultry will be decontrolled. Mr. Strachey I regret that I cannot yet give the date on which decontrol will take place. Lady Tweedsmuir Can the Minister give an assurance that, in view of the reduced meat ration, he will implement his promise to decontrol the price and distribution of poultry at an early date? Mr. Strachey Yes, Sir, but it is the present shortage of meat which is in my mind when I say that it would be premature to fix the date at the present time. Cereals 29. Mr. Beswick asked the Minister of Food if he will give an estimate of the total subsidy allocated to cereals used for branded breakfast foods. Mr. Strachey We do not propose to subsidise cereals used for branded breakfast foods in the current year. Carrots 32. Mr. Odey asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that there are considerable stocks of carrots lying in pie in the East Riding of Yorkshire which belong to his Department and which will suffer rapid deterioration with the advent of hot weather; and if he will arrange for these supplies to be moved immediately so that the carrots can be saved and the land occupied by the pies be available for recultivation. Mr. Strachey As orders come in the remaining carrots are being moved and, as far as possible, priority is given to stocks on land needed for recultivation. Mr. Odey In view of the great discouragement to the farming community, who fear the food they produce may go rotten, will the right hon. Gentleman see to it that the appalling wastage that occurred in carrots last year is not repeated? Mr. Strachey I could not agree that these carrots have been wasted, for they are being used for stock feed. Sir W. Smithers Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that last week carrots were practically unobtainable in Covent Garden? Meat (Wholesale Price) 33. Sir W. Smithers asked the Minister of Food why, in view of the fact that the price of meat has been increased by 4d. per pound, his Department is charging butchers 5d. per pound extra. Mr. Strachey The hon. Member has been misinformed. The average wholesale price of meat to butchers has been increased by 4d. a lb. The particular increases vary between 2d. and 5d. per lb. Sir W. Smithers Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I hold in my hand a letter from a responsible person in Yorkshire, who says that the Ministry of Food charge the butchers 5d. a lb. all round for meat? I do not think he knows what his own people are doing. Mr. Strachey That was what I had in mind when I said that the hon. Member had been misinformed. Sardines 35. Mr. Skeffington-Lodge asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the fact that sardines are not available in the shops; and what steps he is taking to remedy this situation. Mr. Strachey The present shortage is due to failure in the Portuguese fishing last year. I am again negotiating for large quantities of sardines this season. and if fishing is satisfactory good supplies should be available here towards the end of the year. In the meantime we are making regular allocations of brisling and sild. Mr. Skeffington-Lodge Has my right hon. Friend tried to get supplies from France as well as from Portugal? Mr. Strachey We hope to get very substantial supplies from French North Africa this year. Sir Stanley Holmes Is it not a fact that in 1947 private merchants in this country were able to buy sardines in Portugal without interference, with the result that we had a full supply a year ago; but that the Ministry of Food decided last summer to go in for bulk buying, so that the private merchants were no longer allowed to buy directly from Portugal, with the result that now we have no sardines in the shops? Mr. Strachey That does not represent the case at all. Hon. Members Oh. Mr. Boothby Is there any truth in reports that sardines in considerable quantities have recently been seen approaching the shores of this country? Are any steps to be taken to catch them when they arrive? Mr. Strachey I suggest that the hon. Member's fishing constituents should take part in that operation. "Food Facts" (Advertisements) 37. Mr. Baldwin asked the Minister of Food what is the object of advertisements under the heading, "Food Facts," such as, "Our Big Day"; and what has been the expenditure on this particular advertisement. Mr. Strachey The object of the advertisement was to ask grown-up people to delay their purchases until the children had had an opportunity of buying sweets. The cost of space for this advertisement was £3,200. Mr. Baldwin Does the Minister really consider it worth while to use up the taxpayers' money encouraging Peter, Sarah, Joey and Brenda to be selfish at the expense of their elders? Does he not think it would be better to provide Peter, Sarah, Joey and Brenda with more protein food rather than sweets? Mr. Strachey No, Sir; this is an example of how much my views differ from the hon. Member's on this and almost every other question. Mrs. Jean Mann Would not my right hon. Friend consider taking some drastic action against the people who run in and out of confectionery shops, buying as much as 20s. worth at a time? Mr. Chetwynd Do not many adults behave as though they have never seen chocolates off the ration, so that children who indeed have never been able to get sweets off the ration are being deprived of their share? Mr. Strachey Some adults may behave like children. That is always possible. Feedingstuffs (Imports) 38. Mr. Bossom asked the Minister of Food if he will state the approximate tonnage of animal foodstuffs he must import month by month to maintain the existing meat ration until September, 1950. Mr. Strachey Home produced supplies of rationed meat depend mainly on homegrown feedingstuffs and are not much affected by changes in supplies of imported feedingstuffs which are used chiefly for the production of milk, eggs and bacon. Feedingstuffs, even if imported now and directed to produce beef or pork, could have no significant effect on the output of meat for the ration until the summer of 1950. Mr. Bossom Would the Minister state whether he could buy more from Empire sources if he wished? Mr. Strachey No, Sir. We buy all the available feedingstuffs not only from Empire and Commonwealth sources, but also from all non-dollar sources. Mr. Bossom Would the right hon. Gentleman mind answering my question? Could he buy more if he wished to do so? Mr. Strachey I have just answered the hon. Member's question. We do already buy all the available supplies from Commonwealth and all other non-dollar sources. Pork (Imports) 39. Mr. Hurd asked the Minister of Food the quantity and value of the pork which he has recently bought in the United States of America; if this will suffice to maintain the fresh meat ration until September; and when he expects to settle the import programme of animal feedingstuffs for 1949–50, so that a substantial increase can be made in the rations for British pigs, which will enable home production to be expanded to at least the level of 1938. Mr. Strachey The purchase of pork in the United States is not yet complete so I cannot give quantities or prices. This pork will greatly help to maintain the carcase meat ration until home production comes along in the late summer. What animal feedingstuffs we are able to buy in 1949–50 will depend upon the outcome of our negotiations with the exporting countries, of which the two most important are Russia and the Argentine. Mr. Hurd While the Minister is making this deal with America for pork, would he not, at the same time, make a deal with them to bring in more coarse grains, so that he can immediately increase feedingstuffs for pigs in this country, with the result that by 1950 he will get more home produced pork? Mr. Strachey Yes, Sir, but the Chancellor of the Exchequer would certainly insist that all possible non-dollar sources should be explored first. Oatmeal (Exports) 40. Mr. Spence asked the Minister of Food why he refuses to permit the export of oatmeal and oat products to India and Pakistan; and when this trade may be resumed. Mr. Strachey Exports within certain limits are allowed to these destinations. Mr. Spence Can the Minister say why in that case he has recently informed the manufacturers of these products that no permits can be issued, and is he aware that similar products are freely being imported into India from Australia? Mr. Strachey No, Sir. I think that the hon. Gentleman has one particular transaction in mind. I think that that case might be reconsidered, but there is no general prohibition of exports to these destinations or any others. Fruit And Vegetables (Director) 42. Mr. Royle asked the Minister of Food what rank in his Department is held by his chief adviser on the distribution of home-grown and imported fruit and vegetables. Mr. Strachey My chief adviser on these problems is the Director of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables, a man who has been in the Ministry since the outbreak of war and whose advice was often sought by Departments even before the Ministry was established. Formerly a director of a firm of fruit brokers and a past President of the Wholesale Fruit Trade Federation, he was also a member of certain Ministry of Agriculture and Empire Marketing Board committees. He enjoys my fullest confidence and that of all sections of the trade, with whose representatives he is constantly in contact. Mr. Royle In view of that answer, may we take it that my right hon. Friend is satisfied that suggestions which had been made against this officer in the past are quite unjustified? Mr. Strachey I am perfectly satisfied. Fresh Fruits (Cold Storage) 44. Mr. Harrison asked the Minister of Food if he will inquire into the availability of cold storage facilities for storing fresh fruits in the country generally and encourage the provision of such storage facilities, in or near the big cities, so as to improve the supplies and avoid waste. Mr. Strachey My Department already has full particulars of all cold stores suitable or quickly adaptable for the storage of fresh fruit. I am satisfied that the space available in commercial and Government-owned stores is ample to meet any calls likely to be made upon it.