§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked whether, in view of the opinions of Doctors Hamill and Montier-Williams in their recently issued reports to the Board as to the deleterious effects upon the health of the community of the presence of gypsum or calcium sulphate in baking powders used to give lightness to bread and cakes, and of the use of nitrous oxide in the bleaching of flour, the President of the Local Government Board will forthwith introduce legislation rendering such processes illegal?
§ Mr. LONSDALEasked whether the right hon. Gentleman has considered the reports of Dr. J. M. Hamill and Dr. G. W. Monier-Williams, with regard to the bleaching of flour and its adulteration by the introduction of deleterious substances; and whether, having regard to the wide-spead adoption of these practices and the consequent loss and risk to the consumers, he will state what action he proposes to take to check methods of treating flour which have been shown to be disadvantageous to the public?
§ Mr. BOLANDasked the President of the Local Government Board what steps, if any, he proposes to take in order to secure that flour in its most nutritive form shall be supplied to the public, in accordance with the recommendations contained in the reports recently issued by his Department;
§ Mr. BURNSThe matter is receiving my attention, but my inspectors' reports have only been issued within the last few days, and I think some little time must be allowed for their consideration.
§ Mr. LONSDALEWill the right hon. Gentleman direct the attention of the Board of Trade and the Board of Agriculture to the powers which they possess under the Bread Act of 1836, and also the Merchandise Marks Act, and urge upon them the necessity of using those powers
§ Mr. BURNSI will send to the Departments referred to the two reports, and communicate to them the view of the hon. Member.
§ Mr. LONSDALEMay I point out that the Board of Trade and the Board of Agriculture have power under the Bread Act of 1836 to deal with the matter at once?
§ Mr. T. E. HARVEYWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of appointing a Departmental Committee with a view to applying the existing laws, and to outlining new legislation?
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTIn view of the very considerable alarm caused by the publication of those reports, will the right hon. Gentleman take action as soon as possible in this matter?
§ Mr. BURNSI think the alarm has been exaggerated, but as we happen to have in preparation a third report on the nutritive value of various kinds of flour, I think we must wait.