§ 68. Sir COURTENAY WARNERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if any steps are being taken to supply those who have large fruit gardens and have always made considerable quantities of jam in past years, and have applied for sugar, with at least some sugar and so prevent the fruit rotting on the ground, as tons of fruit have already been so wasted?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of FOOD (Mr. Bridgeman)About 7,500 tons of special preserving sugar have been allocated to private growers of soft fruit for domestic jam making, and no further issue for soft fruit is contemplated.
§ Sir C. WARNEROn what system is this sugar being distributed, seeing that many people have got some, whereas regular makers of jam and many of those who applied have had no notice taken of their applications?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANIf the hon. Gentleman will give me instances I will put them before the Food Controller.
§ Mr. G. TERRELLWill the hon. Gentle man issue some information, so that poor people may know to whom to apply for sugar?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI think there have been notices issued, but it is hardly any use issuing any further notices now for the soft fruit season.
§ Mr. J. M. HENDERSONIs the hon. Gentleman aware that a great number of people who grow fruit have had no reply at all, the alleged cause being that they did not include stamped directed envelopes, and does he think it quite fair that such a small technicality should deprive the country of a great quantity of fruit?
§ Sir STEPHEN COLLINSIs he aware that those who did include stamped directed envelopes did not receive any sugar?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI have heard both these complaints before, but I do not think that I am in a position to express an opinion as to what course the Food Controller ought to have taken. I will pass on the remarks of the hon. Gentleman.
§ Mr. P. MEEHANHow much sugar has been allocated to Ireland?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must give notice of that question. The hon. Gentleman cannot be expected to carry all these figures in his head.
§ Sir C. WARNERIt was stated just now that there would be no more soft fruit. I think that must be a mistake, because plums and so on are none of them ripe, and they are soft fruit.
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANWhat I said was that I did not think that it was any use issuing any further notices with regard to soft fruit. I meant soft fruit as distinct from stone fruit. I am perfectly ready to bring it before the notice of the Food Controller.
§ 71. Sir J. AGG-GARDNERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he is aware that while the approximate amount of sugar used in the manufacture of 100 gallons of ginger beer or lemonade is 150 lbs., the amount used in the manufacture of 100 gallons of light ale, of 18 lbs. gravity, rarely exceeds 25 lbs.; whether in many breweries in the United Kingdom the employment of sugar is altogether excluded; and whether, in view of the restrictions of output which have been imposed upon breweries, with the alleged object, inter alia, of conserving sugar as an article of 1733 food, he will say if similar restrictions have been applied to the output of ginger beer and lemonade?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANMy hon. Friend's statement is approximately correct as regards light ale; but I understand that the maximum amount of sugar now used in the manufacture of 100 gallons of ginger beer or lemonade is about 80 lbs. and not 150 lbs., as stated in the question. If sugar is wholly excluded from use in many breweries, such exclusion is not due to any Statutory restriction. The amount of sugar that may be used for purposes of manufacture is 25 per cent, of that so used in 1915. This restriction applies equally to brewers, makers of ginger beer and lemonade and other manufacturers.