§ 9. Mr. HOGGEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, whether margarine from the Ant Jurgens Margarine Company is being supplied by two English canteen firms to His Majesty's ships; whether certain Maltese firms, who hold tenancies in His Majesty's ships, are also selling this margarine, in the canteens; whether the Ant Jurgens Margarine Company has works in Germany as well as in Holland; whether the company has furnished guarantees to the effect that they have never supplied German manufactured margarine to the canteen firms; and what distinction the Admiralty draws between a firm which admits its dual activities and British firms of margarine manufacturers who cannot even get access to the various canteens of the forces in this country?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe answers to the first four parts of the question are in the affirmative so far as regards the English canteen firms. It has also been ascertained that the Maltese firms referred to in the second part of the question are not now selling this brand of margarine. 1126 With regard to the last part of the question, all British and other firms, not being enemy firms, are alike eligible to supply goods to the canteen tenants of His Majesty's ships, and provided prices and quality are satisfactory, no distinction is drawn by the Admiralty between such firms, but the Admiralty neither recommends nor excludes particular brands of any suitable article.