76. Major WOODasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that brewers were refused, until the middle of July, 1918, permission to brew extra beer for consumption by agricultural labourers engaged in working long hours on haymaking; whether he is aware that by the date named the bulk of the haymaking is usually concluded; whether his attention 314 was called some time ago to the fact that a Lancashire firm had asked to be allowed to brew from their own stock to meet the urgent requirements of haymaking and to recoup themselves when permission was granted in July; whether that request was refused; and whether it was the deliberate intention of the Ministry of Food to inflict an unnecessary hardship on agricultural labourers, many of whom are in advanced years and whose labour is essential to the saving of the crops in war-time and who, being temperate men, have always been accustomed to take beer during hay and corn harvest?
§ Mr. PARKER (Lord of the Treasury)The hay crop in 1917 was secured without extra beer being brewed, and it was decided, in agreement with the Board of Agriculture, that it would be unnecessary to issue licences in 1918, except for the corn harvest. Brewers may brew a fixed amount in each quarter of the year, but they are not permitted to anticipate barrelage. The Food Controller is fully alive to the necessity of providing the agricultural labourer with a fair share of the limited supplies of beer available.
Major WOODWill the hon. Gentleman say what ground he has for believing that it is possible to secure a hay crop without beer, whereas beer is necessary for the corn crop?