Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 14 July 1947.
Sir Henry Legge-Bourke
, Isle of Ely
12:00,
14 July 1947
asked the Minister of Food how much grain suitable for brewing was exported and diverted from this country to Germany, Holland, Denmark and Czechoslovakia during 1946 and the first six months of 1947; how much beer was imported from these countries in the same periods; and what was the net trading result of such exports and imports.
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
I assume the hon. and gallant Member is referring to exports and diversions of barley. During 1946 and the first five months of 1947, 141,165 tons of barley were provided for use as bread grain in the British zone of Germany and 2,912 tons were sent to Denmark to replace some malt which we borrowed for brewing beer for British troops on the Continent. No beer was imported from the countries concerned during the same period, so the third part of the Question does not arise.
Sir Henry Legge-Bourke
, Isle of Ely
Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that this does not tally with the answer which his Parliamentary Secretary gave me last week?
Mr Evelyn Walkden
, Doncaster
May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is not time we killed this fairy tale altogether, since it has been trotted round by Members of the Opposition for months past, including the Housewives' League, and it has got whiskers on?
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