§ 79. Mr. T. C. TAYLORasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been called to a letter of 17th April from his Department to the owner of 1 cwt. of malt (in reply to a letter from the owner of the malt) refusing permission to the owner to use it in the manufacture of toffee, and recommending the owner to sell the malt to a brewer; and whether it is the deliberate policy of the Government to encourage the brewing of beer to the detriment of the manufacture of wholesome sweets?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of FOOD (Captain Bathurst)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Malt is necessary for the manufacture of wholesome beer; it is not necessary for the manufacture of wholesome sweets.
§ Mr. TAYLORIs it intended to encourage the manufacture of beer to the detriment of the manufacture of sweets?
Captain BATHURSTNo, Sir. That is not quite the point. There is only sufficient malt in the country to provide for the present restricted output of beer until the end of November. All malt already manufactured is naturally being diverted into that channel.