§ 71. Mr. C. HARMSWORTHasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if food products, manufactured or otherwise, are still being exported from the United Kingdom to countries other than Allied countries; and whether, if so, he will consider the importance of disallowing all such exports forthwith?
Captain BATHURSTI have already informed the House that in some cases raw foodstuffs are exported, for return to this country, in manufactured form. A limited number of other articles which are classed in the Customs Returns under the heading of "Food and Drink," but which have little or no food value, and of which there is no shortage, are occasionally still licensed for export to neutral countries. Subject to the above explanations, the answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. I should add that goods which merely come to this country for transhipment on through bills of lading have hitherto not come under the export restrictions, although they appear in the Customs Returns as exports, and have consequently not required licences for export. Steps are being taken to bring all such transhipment goods under the same conditions as goods for export.