asked the Minister of Food if he will arrange that animals dealt with in Government slaughterhouses are invariably despatched by the humane killer.

Existing instructions already provide for the stunning before slaughter in Government slaughterhouses of all cattle, calves, sheep and pigs except those killed by the Jewish and Mohammedan methods. I am not prepared to prohibit these methods because to do so would stop meat reaching orthodox Jews and Mohammedans.

Now that he has taken over this Department will the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to interest himself in this question of humane killing? Does he realise that many of the abattoirs in this country are an absolute disgrace? Will he do his best to see that the unnecessary suffering and terror of these animals is brought to an end?

In so far as I can help, and in so far as it is my responsibility, I shall be very happy indeed to do so, subject to the consideration I raised in the latter part of my answer.

Will the right hon. Gentleman also arrange that those members of the Government who have expressed Communist—

That is nothing to do with this Question.

asked the Minister of Food in what capacity he recently employed Mr. John Albert Tempest, Livingstone Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham, and how long Mr. Tempest was employed by his Department, the salary paid, and the reason for termination of employment.

Mr. Tempest was employed as a temporary travelling accountant from September, 1945, to February, 1950, at a salary of £590 a year. His appointment was terminated after he was convicted of certain criminal offences.

Is the Minister aware that Mr. Tempest has a long list of previous convictions for fraud, theft, false pretences and bigamy, including a five-year sentence of penal servitude, and will he take steps to prevent the employment of such manifestly unsuitable persons in this capacity in his Department?

I should have thought that the answer I gave would have given the hon. Member complete satisfaction.

asked the Minister of Food what function is currently performed by the staff of the National Egg Distributors' Association, Limited; what is the total annual cost of salaries and wages of that organisation; and whether he will make a statement in regard to future plans for collection and distribution of home-produced eggs.

Subject to my general direction, this Association is responsible for the collection and distribution of eggs from packing stations or ships, supplying boxes and packing materials, making payments to home packers, arranging transport, inspecting imported eggs and performing certain accounting duties. The total cost of salaries and wages of the staff of the organisation (including industrial staff) for the 12 months ended 31st December, 1949, was £233,708. I have not yet had time to form a view on the arrangements for the collection and distribution of home-produced eggs.

Is the Minister aware that these arrangements invariably result in eggs arriving at grocers' shops more than four weeks' old and generally in a musty or rotten condition? Will he take steps to investigate whether the distribution can revert to private traders and thereby ensure the arrival of fresh eggs in the shops?

In the past week or so we have given a great deal of freedom to the movement of eggs.

asked the Minister of Food how much fish has been used for manure and how much sold to the fish meal works since 1st September, 1949, until the latest convenient date.

From 1st September, 1949, to 28th February, 1950, 22,400 tons of white fish, of which 5,900 tons had been condemned, were sold to fish meal works, and 16,700 tons of herrings were sold for reduction to oil and meal. I have no statistics of sales for manure, but the quantities can only have been extremely small.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not disturbed by these figures? Will he tell the House what steps he is taking with his colleague the Minister of Agriculture to stop this deplorable practice, which involves the waste of good food and the importing of foreign food?

As I told the House last week, my right hon. Friend and I are now going into the whole future of the fishing industry.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how much of this fish is sent to fish meal factories, because the Government have loosed stocks from cold storage?

Not without notice.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he proposes to take to compensate Scottish fishermen for the withdrawal of the flat-rate transport scheme for fish and to make it possible for Scottish fishermen to sell their produce at a competitive price in English markets.

I met a deputation of M.P.s from the party opposite on this problem a few days ago. While I cannot postpone, for obvious reasons, the operation of the plans to free the fishing industry from control, I have given an assurance to consider their proposals for easing any adverse consequence of decontrol on their particular section of the industry. An inter-Departmental Committee is considering the whole problem and has been asked to report as quickly as possible. When it does, I and my colleagues will act as speedily as possible on their recommendation. In the meantime, may I suggest it would be helpful if all the Members concerned in this problem acted together and put forward agreed ideas.

May I inform the right hon. Gentleman that we do act together, but that that does not prevent us putting down individual Questions? Since the date of the ending of this scheme is now very near, will the right hon. Gentleman do everything he can to expedite the findings of the committee?

I have already given that assurance to the deputation which met me.

asked the Minister of Food in view of the large importation of Norwegian herrings in recent weeks and the large quantities of Scottish herrings which had, in consequence, to be sold at low prices, what steps he proposes to take now, or has in contemplation to take in another year, to regulate these imports so as to prevent a recurrence of substantial losses to the home trade.

The quantity imported has been only about 50 per cent. of last year's imports and 30 per cent. of those of 1948, while British landings have increased 6 per cent. over last year. I do not think, therefore, that any action on my part is needed.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that herrings of the highest quality and in considerable quantities were being sent to the factory in the West of Scotland on account of this great importation of Norwegian herrings, the result being that first-class Scottish produce was in that way being wasted for food consumption?

If the hon. Gentleman has any representations to make to me on this matter perhaps he will write to me or see me about them.

asked the Minister of Food if he will give an up-to-date list of the classes of industrial and agricultural employees who receive extra rations; and the amount of extra ration in each case.

As the list is rather long I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Would the right hon. Gentleman indicate on what principles these classes of workers are selected for extra rations?

I should be obliged if the hon. Gentleman would await the reply, and then, if he wishes, put down another Question.

asked the Minister of Food if he will make a statement detailing the various bulk-purchase contracts entered into by his Department since 1945, with particulars of the duration of such contracts and the price-revision clauses contained therein.

With permission, I will circulate the answer in the OFFICIAL REPORT, as it is rather long.

Of course, I gladly give my right hon. Friend the permission he asks to save the time of the House, but

Would the right hon. Gentleman say whether any part of the terms of the bulk purchase contracts have been worsened for us by ill-advised Ministerial comment on the countries concerned?

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the benefit that adolescent workers would derive from an increase in their consumption of milk and milk foods; and what steps he proposes to take to take additional supplies of these foods available to them in canteens.

I do realise how good milk is for young people. My hon. Friend will know that during the years of shortage special arrangements were made for adolescents to have priority supplies of milk at home and milk cocoa during their working hours in factories and other places of business. I am very glad that at present the good supply of milk has enabled me to remove all restriction on its sale by canteens, and I hope that young people will take full advantage of this.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that it is this class of young workers that is particularly prone to tuberculosis, and that although these foods are now very freely available there is a bar, in their cost, to their purchasing them? Will he use his influence to see that the cost to this class of workers is reduced in the factories?

Cost is another question. All I can do is to make the milk freely available, and that has been done.

asked the Minister of Food the arrangements that have been made for buying fruit pulp from Canada and the United States, and the quantities involved.

None, Sir.

asked the Minister of Food what amount of animal feedingstuffs, expressed in value and tonnage, he expects to import during the next 12 months.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Morecambe and Lonsdale (Sir I. Fraser) on 23rd March.

asked the Minister of Food what sums, in addition to the £29,350,000, of which this House was informed on 7th November last, have been advanced to the Overseas Food Corporation.

Four million one hundred thousand pounds.

Would the right hon. Gentleman split the new total between the groundnut scheme and the sorghum scheme in Queensland?

I should prefer notice of that question.

asked the Minister of Food why there has been a fall in the production of home grown sugar as compared with last year.

Owing to an abnormal growing season the sugar content of beet grown in 1949 was one of the lowest on record, and the yield of beet per acre was smaller than in 1948.

Could my right hon. Friend tell us if there is any intention of increasing the acreage for home sowing, to help overcome this vast and irksome shortage in the homes?

We are governed in this matter by factory accommodation and the need to use our acres for other purposes, but I shall be quite happy to collaborate with my right hon. Friend on this problem.

asked the Minister of Food what recent diminution of supplies of sugar from Empire and Commonwealth sources there has been; what are the reasons for this; and if he will take steps to overcome the dollar difficulties existing in the West Indies by means of barter agreements, arranging for the exchange of manufactured goods for sugar and other island products.

There has been no recent falling off in supplies of sugar from Commonwealth sources. On the contrary, Commonwealth sugar supplies have been increasing and are planned to go on increasing for some years to come. As the West Indies are in the sterling area their dollar difficulties are a part of the general dollar problem of the sterling area which we are all engaged in a common effort to remedy.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the supply of sugar from British sources in the Carribean and British Guiana has fallen considerably, compared with the supplies of two years ago?

asked the Minister of Food when he anticipates that the negotiations at present proceeding regarding the purchase of West Indian sugar supplies will be concluded.

I cannot say, at present.

asked the Minister of Food how much sugar has been allocated during the past year for the manufacture of canned sweet puddings; and how this compares with the previous year.

The allocation for this purpose was 1,878 tons in 1949, against 1,494 tons in 1948—an increase, of course, of 384 tons. This included increased allocations for factories in development areas.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there has been an increasing tendency by his Ministry to increase the allocation of sugar for manufacturing purposes of all kinds, although the domestic ration is in danger? Is he further aware that the housewife would much rather have the sugar to make her own puddings, which are cheaper and better; and will he reverse this process?

I regard the domestic ration as the highest priority, and it figures in that category in the review that is now taking place.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that the total calorie intake pre-war from grain and potatoes was 34 per cent. and in 1946 was 42 per cent.; and whether he will now give the figures for 1947, 1948 and 1949.

Yes, Sir. The corresponding figures for years 1947, 1948 and 1949 are 43 per cent., 43 per cent. and 40 per cent. respectively.

With regard to the last figure given by my right hon. Friend, is my right hon. Friend aware that this shows that we are undoubtedly improving the national dietary?

Has the right hon. Gentleman ever invited a friend to a calorie intake?

asked the Minister of Food what offers of eggs from the Gambia, produced under the Colonial Development Corporation's Scheme, his Department has received; and what purchases it has made.

The development of this project is in an early stage and no business has yet been concluded.

Does not the Minister think this very disappointing, as we have been running the poultry farm in the Gambia now for over 12 months? Should we not now be getting eggs?

I think a lot of things, not all of them for publication.

Could the Minister say what has been the cost of the development so far?

On cost, no. We have had four sample quantities and are considering them.

asked the Minister of Food why he continues to spend dollars on the purchase of large quantities of dried eggs from the United States of America; and whether he will give an estimate of the date by which he anticipates that it will be possible to provide sufficient regular supplies of shell eggs in this country to meet all normal requirements.

asked the Minister of Food why a large quantity of dried egg has been or is about to be purchased from the United States of America, in view of the fact that dollars could be better spent on the purchase of stock feedingstuffs so that the eggs can be produced at home.

Some manufacturing and other trades need to have their eggs in the dried form and not in shell, and at present they are getting only half of what they had before the war. We should be unable even to maintain this rate of supply but for these American dried eggs. Last September, the United States Government agreed that part of our Canadian Wheat Purchases to the value of $175 million should be financed from E.C.A. funds; at the same time, we agreed to buy, among other things, from $8–10 million worth of United States perishable agricultural commodities. Our purchase of dried egg is part of this transaction.

Does not the Minister think the money might have been better spent on something more tasty, or even upon timber for houses?

All I know is that the bakers and confectioners are very happy to have this dried egg.

Is it not a fact that the bulk of this dried egg has been manufactured for some years? Is it not a further fact that it compares very unfavourably with home produced fresh eggs that give value to the people of this country? May I have an answer?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that when his predecessor stopped the purchase of dried eggs he was pressed by the Opposition to resume it?

They are derelict stocks.

asked the Minister of Food what sum of money, provided out of the funds of the Economic Co-operation Administration, has been spent, or it is proposed to spend, during this year on the purchase of dried eggs from the United States.

Three million dollars.

Is the Minister aware of the recent statement of the Minister of Agriculture, that it would be very unwise for us to become dependent on special funds for the purchase of foodstuffs? Why does not the same principle apply to eggs?

That is a question for my right hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the increased surplus of milk which is anticipated during the next few months, he will give details of the steps which he proposes to take to increase the local production of butter and cheese by dairy farmers.

I have already arranged for farmhouse cheesemakers to make contracts for 12 months if they wish, instead of for limited periods. This is to give continuous employment to their staff and a regular supply of whey for pig feeding. No special arrangements have been made to increase farm butter making, because farm butter cannot be distributed on the ration.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of complaints from Cardiff butchers concerning the quantity of low grade meat allocated to them for distribution; and whether he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Food what action he proposes to take to allay the discontent caused in the Dover area by the indifferent quality of meat being made available to the butchers.

The proportion of home-killed and imported meat issued in Cardiff and in Dover recently compares quite well with the proportion in the rest of the south-western and south-eastern areas respectively. But I have asked for a special report in both cases, and will write to both the hon. Gentlemen as soon as I have considered it.

asked the Minister of Food if we will now consider reducing the extraction of flour from wheat in order to increase the whiteness of the flour, to produce more cattle provender and thus to save dollars and also release the ships now being used as granaries so that they can perform the task for which they were constructed.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will now revise milling percentages in order that more offals may be made available for pig and poultry food.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will now make provision for a whiter loaf to be made available to the public with special regard to authorising a drop in the extraction rate of wheat, and making more wheat offals available for feedingstuffs for cattle.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction of the baking trade with the present quality of flour due to the extraction rate remaining at 85 per cent.; that the public is becoming increasingly tired of the loaf produced from such flour; and whether he will consider reducing the rate of extraction to 80 per cent. to enable more palatable bread to be made and to help provide the extra animal feeding-stuffs needed by farmers, pig clubs and small holders.

Of course, I should like everybody to have the sort of bread they prefer; but in this matter of the extraction rate we have to consider whether we can buy the extra wheat, whether it will cost dollars, whether the extra milling offals would be dearer than other imported feedingstuffs, and so on. My Department is watching all these changing factors very closely, and when the balance of advantage lies with lowering the extraction rate we shall do it. No ships are being used for storing grain at present.

Is it not a fact that we are now spending dollars on the purchase of provender for cattle and that we should save the expenditure of those dollars if we reduced the extraction of the wheat from 80 per cent. as it is at present, to about 68 per cent. as it was before the war?

All these, of course, are matters to balance in the country's interests, and as I have promised, when the appropriate time comes we shall be able to consider this particular matter.

Would the right hon. Gentleman consider, with a fresh mind, whether this continued limitation on food for pigs and hens is really necessary; and whether a little thought and a little courage, and particularly a return to a little more power for the private buyer in the world market, would make it unnecessary?

I have tried to give thought to it. Courage is another matter. It is a matter to be carefully considered, and I am quite satisfied, after consultation with the Minister of Agriculture, that he, on his side, is quite happy about it.

Will my right hon. Friend keep carefully in mind the nutritional value of foods, as well as their colour and palatability?

asked the Minister of Food, in view of the fact that the country would benefit from making the choice of diet as free as possible, what steps he proposes to take in the near future to improve the present variety of foodstuffs generally available.

I am in full sympathy with this aim. The increased range of foods has enabled us to have a more varied diet and greater freedom of choice in recent months. I shall do my best to ensure improvement in this respect, consistent with fair sharing of essential foodstuffs. But I am afraid I cannot, at this stage, say what I can do until I have studied the position more fully.

May we hope that there will be a little more variety as well as quantity in the increased stocks of which we have heard lately?

I have already made that clear.

Will my right hon. Friend keep in mind the requirements of those who eat to live, as well as of those who live to eat?

asked the Minister of Food why we import plums from Czechoslovakia when we have plenty of plums of our own.

No plums were imported from Czechoslovakia during 1949, nor are we importing any now.

asked the Minister of Food what dollar expenditure is involved in the sale in this country of Coca-cola.

The Coca-cola sold in this country is manufactured entirely here and there is no dollar expenditure on the ingredients.

Does my right hon. Friend's reply mean that not only is there no dollar expenditure, but that there is no dollar loss through royalty payments or through the transfer of earnings by the company in this country?

That is another Question. I would like it to be put on the Order Paper.

Is not there a British product called Pepsi-cola?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Coca-cola is considerably improved by a nip of gin?

asked the Minister of Food when a further supply of sultanas will be available in the shops.

Largely because of the poor Australian crop last year sultanas will be very scarce for the next few months. At present we are allocating to individual areas in turn all we get. Later in the year I hope to have enough fruit to distribute some in all parts of the country.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the currants at present available in the shops are tending to hang fire because the housewife cannot get sultanas to mix with them, and will he do his best to get the maximum quantity of sultanas in the shops?

Perhaps my hon. Friend will take me out to see a sultana hanging fire.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will arrange for the publication of the letter written on or about 12th February, 1950, by the Minister of Food to Mr. Gollancz, as a result of which publication of a book commenting on some aspects of the work of his Department was abandoned.

No, Sir.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give no reasons? Would it not be fair to the Secretary of State for War that a letter which is being so freely referred to in the Press by the recipient should be published in full, so that everyone may know what it contains?

I can only repeat my previous answer to a similar Question. There is no record in my Department of any letter of this description. In any event, the letter from Mr. Gollancz in "The Times" of 22nd March shows there is no need for publication.

Is it not a strange fact that all trace of a letter written by the former Minister of Food has disappeared from the Ministry of Food? Cannot the difficulty be got over by asking the Secretary of State for War whether he happens to have a copy?

I think that I can explain this very readily. There is no record of the letter in the Ministry of Food because all this happened during the election, and I wrote from Dundee. There is, of course, no suggestion of separating my personal and official capacities in the matter. It was a perfectly proper letter for me to write while I was Minister of Food.

Am I to gather from that reply that the right hon. Gentleman is telling his successor that he has no objection whatever to this letter being published?

It would be for me to publish it. I see no reason whatever, as the contents of the letter have been described by me to the House, and that description has been confirmed by the recipient of the letter, to publish my correspondence at the behest of the right hon. Gentleman.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is not a fact that in the account which he gave to the House he never told the House he had written a letter at all? What he said was "I told Mr. Gollancz." Would it not, therefore, be much better to let us have the full contents?

They dare not publish it.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will increase the minimum fruit content of raspberry jam made by jam manufacturers from 20 per cent. to 30 per cent.

I should very much like to do so, if it could be managed without a general increase in the price of jam or raspberries to the housewife. I think we must wait until we see how the 1950 crop turns out.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that during the war there were two standards—one 38 per cent. full fruit standard, and the other a special standard, and will he do his best to work towards the higher standard in the interest of the housewife and of British growers of raspberries?

Yes, Sir, in the light of the 1950 crop.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us what is the other 80 per cent. of the content of raspberry jam?

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I will raise the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the growing difficulty which shopkeepers have in disposing of pointed goods; and whether he will make a statement on his policy towards such goods.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Crosby (Captain Bullock) on 22nd March.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that since he gave that reply, as I understand it, the notice has been issued that no change in points rationing will take place, and that the goods are still in the shops?

I wish the hon. Gentleman would not press this matter. It really is a matter for the most urgent and complete examination, and I want, if possible, to make a reply at the earliest possible moment.

asked the Minister of Food what alteration he proposes to make in the prices of food, consequent upon the decisions made in the 1950 February price review.

I have nothing to announce at the moment, but, as the hon. Member will recognise, this is a matter under my most immediate attention.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when he will reach a decision on this matter?

Next week, I hope.

asked the Minister of Food when fresh cream will be made available for the general public.

I am afraid I am not in a position to say at the moment if I can arrange for supplies of fresh cream. Naturally, if our milk supplies permit, I shall want to do so, although this year it could only be for a short time, and supplies would be scarce and expensive. However, I fear it will be some weeks before I can accurately estimate whether or not some release of fresh cream will be possible.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that repairs to the Halifax—Burnley road at Luddendenfoot and Mytholmroyd have caused traffic delays for many months past; and when he expects the work to be completed.

Yes, Sir. The work has now been completed.

asked the Minister of Transport when it is proposed to introduce amendments of the existing pedestrian crossing regulations, based on the recommendations of the Committee on Road Safety, and which will have the effect of removing certain ambiguities.

In spite of very long and careful consideration of this matter, so far it has been found impracticable to frame regulations in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Road Safety in a form which would define in clear and simple language the respective rights and obligations of pedestrians and drivers of vehicles in all circumstances at controlled crossings. Legally, effective regulations for this purpose would, in fact, be considerably more complex than those now existing. They would not be easily understood by the public and for that reason it would be difficult to secure their observance.

I am, therefore, considering whether it would be preferable to deal with the matter so far as controlled crossings are concerned by giving guidance in the Highway Code to drivers and pedestrians. Failure to observe any provisions of the Highway Code may be taken into account by a court in any civil or criminal proceedings to which it is relevant. Uncontrolled crossings can be effectively dealt with by regulations.