asked the Minister of Food how many cases of Canadian apples have been purchased by his Department this year; and what was the cost per case landed in this country.

We have contracted to buy 1,300,000 cases of Canadian apples during the present season. As I have pointed out on previous occasions, I am not prepared to disclose the prices paid for supplies of imported fruit purchased by my Department from particular sources.

asked the Minister of Food what amount of sugar was imported into the United Kingdom during the last 12 months for which figures are available; what part of such imports came from Empire and non-Empire sources respectively; what quantity of the non-Empire imports was subsequently exported in a refined form; and, having regard to these figures, what is the estimate of his Department of the benefit received by the British beet sugar industry during 1949–50 from the indirect subsidy resulting from the fact that the Excise duty on home-produced sugar is less than the Customs duty on non-Empire sugar.

The total imports of sugar into the United Kingdom during the financial year 1949–50 (the last year for which figures are available) and the part thereof which was subsequently exported as refined sugar were, according to the records of my Department:

	Approximate tonnage in terms of Raw Sugar
From the Commonwealth		985,000
From non-Commonwealth sources	1,142,000
Less re-exports as refined sugar	630,000
		512,000
Net imports		1,497,000

Our total purchases of Commonwealth sugar during that year were in excess of total net imports into the United Kingdom and amounted to 1,565,000 tons. In order, however, to keep freight charges to the minimum and to supply the Canadian market from its normal Commonwealth sources, we diverted some 580,000 tons of these purchases to Canada and other destinations for which we have a responsibility, the remaining 985,000 tons being actually imported into the United Kingdom. Of the 580,000 tons of Commonwealth sugar so diverted 512,000 tons were replaced by imports of non-Commonwealth sugar for United Kingdom consumption.Notionally, then, the consumption needs of the United Kingdom in 1949–50 were met entirely from Commonwealth sources, since the diversion of Commonwealth sugar to other destinations (with replacement from non-Commonwealth sources) was only arranged in order to secure the objects already mentioned. The benefit received by the British beet sugar industry during 1949–50 from the indirect subsidy resulting from the fact that the Excise duty on home-produced sugar is less than the Customs duty on imported sugar should be calculated, therefore, on the basis that all sugar imported for United Kingdom consumption in that year was derived from Commonwealth sources. On this basis the total indirect subsidy was about £500,000.The cost to the Exchequer of the total 1949–50 net imports for United Kingdom consumption was not higher than it would have been if all the imports had been actually from Commonwealth sources.

asked the Minister of Food what were the total tonnages of potatoes sold for stock feed in the years 1947, 1948 and 1949 respectively; what was the net cost to the taxpayer; and what he estimates the figures will be for the current year.

The quantity of potatoes sold by the Ministry of Food for stock-feeding (including potatoes processed for that purpose) was:

Crop Year	Ions
1947–48	57,000
1948–49	1,641,000
1949–50	303,000
1950–51	650,000	(Estimated)

Financial year ended 31st March		Cost £
1948	(Gross)	325,809
1949	(Net)	8,061,314
1950		9,491,438	(Provisional)
1951		4,759,000	(Estimated)

asked the Minister of Food what was the total tonnage of potatoes available to Great Britain in countries not involving hard currencies during the years 1947, 1948 and 1949, respectively; what tonnages were actually purchased and from which countries; and how these figures compare with the period 1935–39.

Great Britain					United Kingdom*
Soft currency countries from which potatoes (ware seed and new) were purchased		Crop Year			Average Imports 1935–39
		1947–48	1948–9	1949–50
		'000 tons	'000 tons	'000 tons	'000 tons
Canary Islands	…	—	2	7	9
Channel Islands	…	25	26	26	66
Cyprus	…	—	—	—	1
Denmark	…	28	—	—	11
Egypt	…	—	13	—	1
Estonia	…	—	—	—	2
French North Africa	…	1	18	40	7
Irish Republic	…	14	36	30	18
Malta and Gozo	…	1	—	2	4
Netherlands	…	110	—	1	33
Northern Ireland	…	184	227	291	†
Poland	…	17	—	—	1
South Africa and British S.W. Africa	…	12	—	—	—
Spain	…	—	4	—	44
Sweden	…	5	—	—	—
* No separate figures are available for Great Britain but virtually all the imports would have been into Great Britain. The figures are taken from the Annual Statement of Trade published by the Board of Trade.
† Average Imports into Great Britain from Northern Ireland in 1935–39 were 165,000 tons according to the Potato Marketing Board Annual Report, 1939.

asked the Minister of Food what annual tonnage is required to feed the population of Great Britain with the most beneficial ration of potatoes from a medical point of view; and how this compares with the tonnage now consumed as food each year.

It is, I am afraid, impracticable to estimate the most beneficial ration of any one food, since so many factors are involved.

asked the Minister of Food if he will give the percentage of home grown pigs sent to the bacon curers, and what percentage has been sold as fresh meat, during the first six months of the current year.

79 per cent. of pigs produced in Great Britain were used for bacon and 21 per cent. for pork.

In 1947–48 all supplies available in soft currency areas were bought. It is not possible to say how many potatoes were available in 1948–49 and 1949–50 as the home crop was sufficient and no inquiries for maincrop potatoes were made abroad. The following table gives the other information:

asked the Minister of Education if he will now give a date for the building of the new school at Loddon.

If the preparatory work is carried out according to schedule, the work on the site should begin on the date already provisionally arranged, namely, 15th March next.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the number and annual value of long service Army pensions that are subject to regular revision by reference to the Interim Index of Retail Prices.

No long service Army pensions are subject to revision by reference to the Interim Index of Retail Prices.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many farms in Glamorgan have been connected with electricity for each of the years 1945–49, and during the first 10 months of 1950.

The information in my Department does not include these detailed figures, so I would suggest that the hon. Member might approach the area electricity board direct.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many applications for calf subsidy in respect of calves in Wales were received in 1949; how many were successful; and how many applications were refused on grounds of quality.

The number of calves for which application for subsidy was made in Wales in 1949 was 295,999 of which 9,924 were rejected. The rejections were mainly on grounds of quality but some calves were over age.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he anticipates being able to make an increase in feeding-stuffs for poultry keepers.

I hope that a statement on the feedingstuffs position will be issued very soon.