§ 68. Mr. HANCOCKasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he can give the total acreage in England planted with potatoes last year, where the crop had not been raised by 24th February, 1917?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Sir Richard Winfrey)The total acreage in England under potatoes on the 5th June of last year was 399,586 acres. The Board have no Returns which show the acreage not raised by the 24th February, 1917.
§ Mr. HANCOCKIs the hon. Gentleman aware that at the Western Market, at Nottingham, last Saturday, potatoes could not be obtained at any price?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member should give notice of that question.
69. Mr. CATHCART WASONasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he is aware of the difficulty persons have in obtaining potatoes, and that they are often unprocurable except at famine 367 prices; and if, in view of the scarcity and the fact that it is estimated more than a fifth of a potato is wasted in the process of peeling, he will issue an Order prohibiting potatoes being peeled before cooking?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of FOOD CONTROL (Captain Bathurst)I have been asked to reply. The Food Controller agrees that the process of peeling potatoes before cooking is wasteful, and he hopes, therefore, that the common sense of the community will realise this, and so avoid the necessity for making any compulsory Order. As regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the statement which I made in the House on Monday last as to the general shortage of potatoes.