Mr. De le Bère:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the food shortage in this country and the urgent need for increased home production of food, he will prohibit all export of agricultural machinery for the next six months, since there are at the present time long waiting lists for almost every agricultural implement required for home cultivation.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend, the Member for Taunton (Mr. Collins) on 6th March on this subject.

Mr. De le Bère:

Is the Minister aware of the ever increasing shortage of, and long waiting list for, agricultural implements, and that owing to the very severe weather they are more urgently needed than ever before? Is it not possible to keep these implements for agriculture at home, where they are more needed than at any other time in the history of this country? It really is vital.

That is realised, but the export of a limited number of these implements is required, not only to pay for the food we get from abroad, but also to help raise it.

Mr. De le Bère:

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that £100,000 worth of implements could produce perhaps £2 million worth of food this year, and it is fantastic to give an answer like that? May I make a vigorous protest?

Mr. Baker White:

Is it not a fact that £7 million worth, or nearly 25 per cent., of our total output was exported, and that for a good deal of it we got nothing in return, except tangerines, and pineapples?