asked the Minister of Food if he will arrange for a higher supplementary ration of sugar for fruit preserving and jam making this summer than last year.

I propose to issue 1 lb. of sugar per ration book for domestic jam making during the four weeks beginning on 27th April, but I cannot say yet what we may be able to do later on.

Will the Minister make certain that those who have fruit gardens will have some incentive this year to make use of their fruit and not let it rot on the trees?

Last year they received five extra rations in all, and as I have said, we begin our bonus issues on 27th April.

Can the Minister say something in regard to the sugar position generally, and whether there is any chance of a better allocation for ordinary purposes?

Not on this occasion.

asked the Minister of Food what the subsidy on British cheese will be per pound now that the retail price is being reduced from 1s. 1d. to 10d.; and whether he intends to maintain a retail price which is only about one-third of the cost.

About 1s. 7¼d. per lb. The retail price will continue to be fixed in accordance with the Government's stabilisation policy.

Is not this enormous subsidy quite unnecessary? Could not the entire production of British cheese be sold at the full cost of production to members of the public, who, in the words of the Parliamentary Secretary, have acquired a taste for it, and also a distaste for imported mousetrap cheese?

All food subsidies are unnecessary, in the sense that if we raised food prices sufficiently, we would not have to pay subsidies; but it would be a dangerous thing to do.

Can the Minister say what particular reason there is for reducing the price at this particular moment by this particular figure; and what is the element in the Government policy which has caused this?

It is, as I have said, a part of the general policy of the Government, in so far as is possible, to keep down the price of foodstuffs.

Why is it necessary at this moment to make this particular reduction?

It is difficult to say. Any particular movement at any particular time has to be seen in relation to all the others. I cannot see why the right hon. Gentleman is complaining about a reduction.

Is the reduction related in any way to a reduction of price for imported cheese?

No, Sir.

Is some other article of food being increased by a corresponding amount?

There have been some increases and some decreases. There have been a number of changes.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will authorise the provision of milk on the occasion of the regular monthly meetings of the local branches of the Women's Institute.

I am afraid that milk supplies do not allow me to make allowances for meetings held for discussion or some social purpose. Milk is allowed if the meetings are held for the purpose of knitting or sewing for charity.

In view of the fact that a somewhat similar concession is made in the case of a number of youth organisations, does not the Minister think it even more important to allow tea to be consumed by the rather older members of the community?

I will look into it.

asked the Minister of Food whether any arrangements are being made to open trade relations with Indonesia, in view of the supplies of sugar, fats and rice which are available in that country.

As my hon. Friend is aware, the Dutch and Indonesian authorities signed the Linggadjati Agreement at Batavia on 25th March. This very welcome step should provide the necessary basis for the early resumption of full trade relations with Indonesia and, in particular, should make it possible to resume the free movement of any supplies of foodstuffs already available in Indonesia for export. Even if the quantities readily available prove to be small, an early resumption of trade should provide an incentive which will help towards the rehabilitation of production of foodstuffs. We shall keep in close touch with both the Indonesian and the Dutch authorities in the matter and if necessary make strong representations to them if there appears to be any avoidable delays.

Would my right hon. Friend say whether any steps have been taken to start negotiations for the movement of foodstuffs?

There have actually been attempts to move foodstuffs in both British and American vessels. As my hon. Friend is probably aware, the Dutch authorities have objected, but that was previous to the signing of the Agreement, and we hope that the situation will now improve.

Can the Minister say what proportion of the foodstuffs which may be found in the country will be allocated to this country, in view of the special services rendered in Indonesia by the British Government?

In the case of sugar, for example, under the recent I.E.F.C. allocation, we should receive a considerable share of any sugar coming out of Indonesia this year. It would similarly benefit us in the case of fats and tea. There is no doubt whatever of the great importance to us of the early resumption of this trade.

Will my right hon. Friend use the occasion to import tea from Java and Sumatra, particularly in view of the fact that Ceylon is levying an export duty of 7½d. per lb. on its tea?

The question of tea exports from Indonesia is probably the key to the whole world tea situation.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will remove restrictions in respect of the movement of carrots between England and Scotland after 31st March of this year.

No, Sir; but, as in previous seasons, my Department will ensure that a fair proportion of the supplies available in England is sent to Scotland.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the hon. Member for Coatbridge was asked 2s. 3d. per pound for carrots in Scotland on Saturday, and does he not think that an extortionate figure to ask housewives to pay?

These restrictions are to secure the fair distribution of the available supply all over the United Kingdom, but the supply itself has, of course, been grievously affected by the climatic conditions in the last few weeks.

As the purpose is to secure equal distribution, and the weather has made the growing of carrots utterly impossible in Scotland in the early months of this year, will the Minister relax the restrictions and allow those grown in England to pass into Scotland?

Yes, Sir, but not all of them. The growing of carrots has also been very adversely affected in many parts of England as well.

asked the Minister of Food if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the U.S. Government proposes to destroy, owing to glut, 20,000,000 bushels of potatoes in 1947 and a similar quantity in 1948 and 1949; and if he will represent to the U.S. Government that these potatoes, instead of being destroyed, could be used to remedy potato shortages in this and other countries.

This country cannot import potatoes from the United States because they are infected with bacterial ring rot. I understand that arrangements have already been made for about 150,000 tons of seed potatoes to be sent from the United States to Germany this year.

asked the Minister of Food why frozen salmon prices are fixed at 6s. 8d. per pound when pre-war it was sold at 1s. 2d. to 1s. 4d. per pound.

There is so little frozen salmon that prices are controlled at the same levels as for fresh salmon, for which prices are fixed after discussion with producers and the Fisheries Departments.

Are we not bringing this commodity from the dollar area, and is it worth while asking the dollar area to send salmon here at a price like that?

That is exactly the point we have in mind. We are importing minimum quantities of this commodity, which are really virtually negligible. We do not think it worth while to import this commodity in any large quantities at all.

Will the Minister say what is a fresh salmon producer?

A man who produces fresh salmon.

asked the Minister of Food what proportion of the weekly meat ration is composed of categories of meat which all butchers were not used to selling in prewar days; and when he hopes to be able to use such categories of meat only for manufacture.

None of the rationed meat is of types not sold by butchers for domestic use prewar. Butchers then sold what their customers could afford; some stocked only the cheaper sorts, and some only the better types of meat. Our aim at present is to distribute all quantities of meat as fairly as possible. When the supply improves, I shall certainly divert some of the plainer types of meat to manufacture, as was done for a time in 1946.

Why could not the right hon. Gentleman have notified the public that they were having to take third-grade meat from butchers, instead of leaving it to the butchers, who have to stand all the racket from dissatisfied customers?

The hon. and gallant Member is misinformed. Twice, at Press conferences, I made a statement to that effect.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the quality of the meat distributed to butchers in some areas of East Dorsetshire has lately been of a low grade; and if he will take steps to see that this does not occur in future.

asked the Minister of Food on what system allocations of the various grades of meat are made to all parts of the country.

We try to give every district a share of all the various types of meat which go to make up the ration. This has not always been possible during the last few weeks, because of distribution difficulties resulting from the weather. These difficulties have now largely ceased.

Is the Minister aware that this meat is only fit for manufacture, and that the issue of low quality meat puts retail butchers, especially in the rural areas, in a very difficult position?

No, Sir. There is no meat which has been issued of a kind which has not been issued before the war, and during the war, at one time or another, on the ration.

Can the Minister say why we cannot keep our own meat in Aberdeen. If the problem is one of transport, why cannot we keep our own grown beef at home? We do not ask for privilege, but for our share, and we are not getting it.

The hon. Member would be the first to say that Aberdeenshire would have a privilege if it had nothing but its own meat, compared with the rest of the country.

Is the Minister aware that Danish and Dutch carcase meat, during the past three weeks, has been bony and lean, and the average retailer cannot make up the ration by reason of the type of carcase, to which we have not been accustomed in the prewar years, and will he look into the matter?

indicated assent.

Is the Minister aware that housewives will not eat this meat?

I cannot agree.

asked the Minister of Food if he will state with regard to each of the 10 cases during 1946, in which the defendants were acquitted after their goods had been seized under the Seizure of Food Orders, 1942 or 1946, the value of the goods before seizure and when returned to the owner or, if sold by the Minister, the gross proceeds of

As the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

As the Parliamentary Secretary admitted, on 26th November last, that injustice might have occurred in those cases, and promised to examine each case, will the Minister consider the last line of my Question?

When the hon. Member sees my answer in the OFFICIAL REPORT, he will see that I deal with what happened in the final settlement with the owner in each particular case, which differs in each of the To cases. It is a little difficult for me, without taking up unduly the time of the House, to detail what happened in each case, but, in general, where the owner applied for repayment, he received it.

Will the Minister say when the examination by the Parliamentary Secretary into these cases was completed?

It was completed, anyhow, in time for me to give the hon. Member particulars of each case in the written reply.

asked the Minister of Food if he will make available some of the turkeys from the U.S.A. to butchers in the rural areas for cooking and selling in sandwiches and by so doing help the farmworkers' wives in their difficulties of providing packed meals.

If and when arrangements for the purchase of these turkeys are concluded, I will consider the possibility of adopting my hon. Friend's suggestion.

Is it true that these turkeys are so old and so tough that they are useless for sandwiches or anything else?

Is it true chat they have been in cold storage for about three years?

No, Sir, there is not a word of truth in either of those two statements.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will now stop the importing of luxury fruits such as pineapples, pomegranates, etc., which are beyond the reach of the working-class purse, with a view to greater concentration on the supply of fruit at commercial prices.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that there is much concern about the importing of expensive fruit, prices of which are beyond the reach of many people; and what steps he is taking to import cheaper fruit and vegetables.

I am grateful to my hon. Friends for raising the matter. In the first place, I think we should make a mistake if we supposed that what they term expensive fruits always stay expensive. For example, when we first gave an open general licence for the import of tangerines they cost 10s. 6d. per lb., and I was severely criticised; but at the height of the season they could be bought for 8d. a lb.; in the same way, grapes started at very high prices, but when they were most plentiful came down to 1s. 6d. per lb. Secondly, it is quite wrong to think that these fruits are alternative to any other more important foodstuff. In the main they come from countries which owe us money—or my right hon. Friend the Chancellor would not let me buy them: again we would never devote shipping space to them if there were cargoes of more important foods available. Naturally, nothing could be easier than to forbid their import; but we should get nothing whatever in their place. Would that not be a real instance of austerity for austerity's sake?

That is most unsatisfactory. Is not my right hon. Friend pandering to the longest possible purse in this matter; and can he say why there should be this discrimination against the working class?

That is a matter of opinion. Does my hon. Friend think that the import of tangerines, for example, at 1s., and, in some cases, 8d. a pound, shows discrimination against the working class? Of £6½ million spent on these fruits to date, no less than £5 million has been spent on tangerines. That is the major item. I should have thought that, by and large, the import of these fruits was justified.

Will the Minister explain to the country that, in view of the low value of the £, imported vegetables are bound to be expensive?

On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. Is the Minister entitled to end his reply to a Question by asking a question? "Would that not be a real instance of austerity for austerity's sake?"

The right hon. Gentleman can reply to any Question in any way he likes.

Does my right hon. Friend in fact buy them, or does he give a licence to other people?

These particular fruits are under open general licence. I should have said that my right hon. Friend would not allow me to allow them to be bought.

Can the Minister say what is the price per pound of pineapples at the height of the season?

The price of a pineapple today is about 10s. I cannot give the price per pound. They started at about 25s. each, and have now come down to about 10s. each. I do not say that they will come down to the same price as tangerines.

rose—

I think that we had better get on to the next Question.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will ensure that music-hall artistes and other holders of emergency travellers' ration books get the egg ration to which they are entitled.

Allocations of eggs cannot take place regularly, or simultaneously throughout the country, so I cannot guarantee that any particular retailer will be able to honour all temporary ration documents, especially if they are presented without notice. Local food offices can usually help in cases of difficulty.

Can the Minister say how these hardworking people are to get their egg ration, if shops use, for other purposes, its 10 per cent. surplus they get for this class of consumer? Audiences no longer throw eggs about.

They should apply to the local food office.

When eggs are thrown at these artists, is it not generally without notice?

asked the Minister of Food if he will state the total quantity of edible oils and fats on the ration issued to fish fryers and caterers for the year ended December, 1946.

125,150 tons, Sir.

asked the Minister of Food why officers of his Department are calling at houses in Greenend, Coatbridge, asking to see contents of cupboards and weighing jam found therein; and under what authority they are doing this.

None of my officers are so engaged. I presume my hon. Friend is referring to the National Food Survey investigations carried out on my Department's behalf by the London Press Exchange. These investigators are not authorised to demand information. All the information collected is obtained voluntarily, and larder stocks can only be weighed with the permission of the housewife.

Is this not the thin end of the wedge; and is it not true that the Englishman's home is rapidly becoming no longer his castle?

asked the Minister of Food when East Dorset is likely to receive an allocation of bitter oranges; and if he will give an assurance that those parts of the county which get no allocation this season will be given preference next season, or be given some compensatory advantage.

As my hon. Friend explained on 19th March, in reply to a question put by the hon. Member for North Edinburgh (Mr. Willis), deliveries of Litter oranges have been poor because of frost and drought in the producing countries. Arrivals are in fact less than half of what we should have got. East Dorset, in common with other parts of the country, will, unfortunately, not receive a share this season. As regards supplies next season, I shall certainly bear the hon. and gallant Member's suggestion in mind.

asked the Minister of Food what estimated damage has been done by frost to potatoes stored in clamps in Scotland.

It is a little early to say, but the damage is not expected to be more than 5 per cent.

is the Minister aware that in Scotland the frost came before the snow, and that the snow has gone some 2½ feet into the ground; and will he keep this matter urgently before him?

Certainly.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to ensure a fair distribution of such potatoes as exist in the Falmouth area, and whether he is satisfied that a fair proportion is going to the poorer householder.

At this time of the year. Falmouth is mainly dependent on potatoes from Northern Ireland, and a ship from there was held up in the bad weather; she has now arrived. My Department allocates these potatoes to wholesalers in proportion to their requirements. All householders should be able to afford the present retail prices, which average 7½d. for 7 lb.

Has the Minister no control over the methods of sales in shops, as between various types of people?

No, Sir. It is impossible to have such control over unrationed commodities.

Is not a reduction in the cross-channel services from Northern Ireland a contributory factor?

Not that I am aware of. The potatoes arrive in potato boats and not in mail boats.

asked the Minister of Food if he will state the cost in dollars of dried eggs, and of shell eggs produced from foreign feeding stuffs.

Dried eggs from dollar countries have cost 41 cents f.o.b. per dozen during the twelve months ended 28th February, 1947. I cannot give the comparable cost of an equivalent quantity of poultry feeding stuffs as none was procurable during this period.

Would the Minister agree that, from information which has been given by the Poultry Breeders' Association, the ratio is about three to one; and will he do his utmost to import more feeding stuffs when he can?

Yes, Sir. There is no question that that is a far more economical method, and as my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture has just announced, it is the first fruits of our efforts to import more feedingstuffs.

asked Minister of Transport what progress been made towards the solution of headlight dazzle problem.

The investigation of headlamp dazzle has been given first priority by the Vehicles Committee of the Road Research Board. Their researches are not yet complete.

Is it not a fact that this has been going on for many years now, and that the standard of safety on British roads is probably lower because of this factor?

I think that the hon. Member appreciates that this is a subject which cannot compel results.

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent he has called upon the B.B.C. to take part in the Safety-first Campaign; and how frequently has the B.B.C. made announcements on this question at his request.

The B.B.C. have from time to time been requested to make announcements on road safety and on each occasion have afforded me their generous cooperation. Apart from special features the monthly road accident figures are invariably broadcast in the news bulletins. Since the road safety campaign was begun in November, 1945, there have been 36 broadcast programmes and talks on road safety, including four broadcasts by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary.

Is it possible for the Minister, in consultation with the B.B.C., to devise a more attractive way of making the announcements, such as by way of programme, etc.? For example, may I remind him of a certain programme which takes place in connection with different aspects of the law? Could not something of that kind be done?

We are always out for improvement, but, as my reply indicates, the B.B.C. have been co-operative in this respect so far.

asked the Minister of Transport if the cost of clearing snow off the roads of the country will rank for the same Government grant as the cost of maintenance and repair.

Yes, so far as it is necessary for traffic purposes.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that two special trains for National Coal Board staff are running daily between Ebbw Vale and Six Bells; and, in view of the coal crisis, if he will stop this waste of fuel and insist that the National Coal Board staff travel in the ordinary train.

The first train is a miners' train which formerly ran empty from Beaufort to Aberbeeg Junction and now stops at Ebbw Vale; the second train is a single coach which is hauled about one mile from the junction to Six Bells Halt by an engine which would otherwise be standing in steam. The extra fuel used is negligible, and I consider that the arrangements, which were in force before the National Coal Board took over, are justified.

Why cannot the timetable be slightly altered to avoid this extra run in view of the fact that we are faced with catastrophe owing to the policy of the Government? Why should the servants of the public have priority treatment over paying passengers?

I have just explained that this arrangement was in operation before the National Coal Board took over.

That does not make it any better.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the recent announcement that restricted summer services will operate upon the four main line railways, what arrangements he proposes to cope with the holiday traffic which promises to be greater this year than last year.

The summer timetables are now being worked out. The reduction of services that will be necessary is bound to result in inconvenience to the travelling public, and will make it more important than ever for workers and employers to co-operate to secure the fullest possible staggering of holidays. All who can do so should avoid travelling at weekends.

Will the Minister take steps to make this widely known throughout industry, because the congestion on the railways last year was very serious and it will be very much worse this summer? Will my right hon. Friend see that this is given the widest publicity?

My Department is always stressing the need for staggering, and will continue to do so.

Is not my right hon. Friend aware that the so-called 10 per cent. cut as far as the railway companies are concerned means a cut of 40, 50 and 60 per cent. in the services to certain seaside resorts in different parts of Britain; and will he have a look at that matter?

No, Sir, I do not accept those percentages.

The figures have been sent to my right hon. Friend already.

Is the Minister aware that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour, in reply to a Question of mine the other day, said it was impossible to get an agreement between the work people and managements on the arranging of mid—week to mid-week holidays during the holiday period, and that the weekend period was the one generally accepted in industry because of the dislocation that would otherwise arise; and, in view of those facts, could he not persuade the Minister of Labour to reconsider this matter?

I am aware of the position, and that is why we are keeping up the pressure in the opposite direction.

asked the Minister of Transport what arrangements have been made to relieve Easter traffic to the West Country, in view of the fact that the Cornish Riviera express has been taken off; and whether this service, which has operated continuously from 1902 until 17th March this year, will be restored so that the taking of holidays may not be unduly restricted.

Owing to the present coal position, services to the West Country during Easter will necessarily be on a restricted scale, and some overcrowding and inconvenience to passengers will, I am afraid, be inevitable. The restoration of the Cornish Riviera express in the summer timetable is now under consideration.

While I am glad to know there will be a relief train for Easter, which will, in effect, be the Cornish Riviera express—maybe "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet"—will the Minister bear in mind that similar facilities are at any rate absolutely necessary during Whitsun, and during the summer period, which begins early as far as the West country is concerned?

If the hon. Gentleman examines the reply he will see that the restoration of this train is under consideration.

Is the Minister aware of the vital need of invisible exports to this country, and will he bear that in mind when considering the que-

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give the cost per engine for the conversion from coal to oil burning; the length of time taken to carry out such conversion; and the comparative cost per engine mile of coal and oil-burning engines.

I am advised that the best estimate possible at present of the cost of conversion, including the cost of the

Will the Minister remember the very long distance of the Cornish holiday resorts from the industrial centres of the country, and that the workers from those centres need rapid means of transport to get there if the best use is to be made of the limited amount of coal which the Government are able to supply?

asked the Minister of Transport the number of engine miles run on passenger trains, merchandise trains and coal class trains by the four main line railway companies for each week in 1947 to the nearest convenient date; and the number of assisting, not required, and light engine miles run in each week for the same period

The latest figures of engine miles run are those for the four weeks ended 28th December, 1946, which I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The other particulars desired by my hon. Friend are not available.

asked the Minister of Transport what machinery his Department employs to enable River Thames pilots to present their grievances to the Elder Brethren of Trinity House; and whether he is satisfied that such machinery is adequate.

The pilots make their representations to Trinity House through the Ruler of Pilots or through the Pilotage Committee which meets weekly, and on which there is an elected representative of the pilots. These arrangements seem to me adequate.

Is the Minister aware that the pilots of Gravesend are suffering under severe grievances which they cannot call to the attention of the Elder Brethren because they have to go through the medium of the local ruler of pilots, who interprets the title very literally and suppresses grievances so that the men are never heard? Could the Minister call for a report on local conditions?

If my hon. Friend will give me any evidence on this point I will look into the matter, but usually the best way of dealing with these problems is through the representative of the body of persons affected.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has considered the report of his officers on the Schermuly life saving distress signal; and if he will make a statement.

I assume my hon. Friend refers to the carriage of parachute distress signals in lifeboats. This question was considered in 1945, but is now being reconsidered by a Working Party on the lifesaving appliances to be carried on board ship and in ships' lifeboats. I hope to receive their report very shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is satisfied that, if coal has to be imported this year, the necessary facilities are available at the ports for unloading and handling it.

Yes, Sir. I am satisfied that with facilities that are available and with arrangements that can be made it would be practicable to unload and handle substantial quantities of imported coal.

If coal is to be imported amounting to five million or 10 million tons, or whatever the figure may be, will the Minister bear in mind the serious situation in the South Wales ports which were built up on the export trade?

That is hardly a matter into which I can go at the moment. The hon. Member asked me whether this coal could be handled and I said it could be.

Can the Minister be a little more definite and say what he means by "substantial" in view of the fact that it has been suggested by another Minister that it would be illogical.

That is just what I am not disposed to encourage in an answer to a supplementary question.

Surely, the House is entitled to know the facts. Only last week the Minister of Fuel and Power, in reply to a suggestion by one of my hon. Friends on the Motion for the Adjournment, said that the facilities were not available at the ports for the importation of coal. Now the right hon. Gentleman says it can be handled. Which is true?

The only point with which I am concerned is my own reply and the use of the word "substantial." I can answer that question but I am not disposed to answer any further question.

When the Minister used the word "substantial" he must have had some figure in mind. What is that figure?

It means from a quarter of a million to about 400,000 tons a month. That probably is the maximum.

Assuming that the coal was coming in, could it be handled with the existing labour force? Would there need to be an increase in the number?

That is one of the problems, as I have indicated, which will have to receive further consideration and examination.