§ 86. Mr. WILLIAM SHAWasked the Food Controller if he can now state the tonnage of 1918 potatoes remaining on the hands of growers in Scotland for which compensation has been claimed; what the approximate loss to the Exchequer will be; and will he state the number of tons claimed for, respectively, by farmers and merchant-growers, and the number of tons claimed for by the members of the allocation committees?
The MINISTER of FOOD (Mr. Roberts)The total quantity of potatoes tendered by Scottish growers on the 30th June was 51,000 tons, including 649 tons tendered by merchant-growers and 984 tons by members of the Allocation Authority. Of this quantity, 29,000 tons have been delivered since the 30th June. It is impossible at present to give any estimate of the loss to the Exchequer, as a large proportion of the loss will fall to be borne by foreign Governments who 180 have failed to take delivery of the whole of the potatoes which they contracted to buy.