§ 79. Mr. SAMUEL SAMUELasked the Food Controller what quantity of dates the Ministry of Food imported from September, 1918, to date, arrived and to arrive; what have been the allowances made by the Government for inferior qualities; have any dates been condemned as unfit for human food and been destroyed; if so, what quantity; and what has been the financial result of the transaction?
§ The MINISTER of FOOD (Mr. G. Roberts)My Department has purchased and imported, on its own account, approximately 12,000 tons of Persian dates since September, 1918. In addition, some 20,500 tons of dates which were purchased before the Armistice on account of the War Office and the Army and Navy Canteen Board have been brought to this country by my Department for. distribution amongst the civil population. About 3,500 tons of dates have still to be shipped from Basra. I understand that small quantities of dates amounting to less than 500 tons have been condemned by the sanitary authorities and destroyed. In cases where the dates distributed to the trade are subsequently found to be unfit for human consumption, the full invoice price is returned to the trader concerned, but otherwise no allowances are made for inferior qualities. Until all the dates have been disposed of it is not possible to state what has been the financial result of the transaction.
§ Mr. S. SAMUELHave the Government endeavoured to resell the dates they bought at Basra, and have they been successful in doing so on account of their condition?
§ Mr. ROBERTSI cannot say off-hand, but I will ascertain.
§ Captain ORMSBY-GOREWill the right hon. Gentleman see that the dates declared unfit for human consumption will be sold to the distillers in order that they can make whisky of them?
§ 80. Mr. SAMUELasked the Food Controller what was the price of dates in the Persian Gulf, free-on-board, Basra, in 1914, 1915, and 1916 before the Government took over control; and what was the price in 1917 and 1918 when the Government took control and were the only buyers?
§ Mr. ROBERTSIn 1914, 1915 and 1916 the free-on-board Basra price of Persian dates averaged 9s., 11s. 6d. and 14s. per cwt, respectively. The average free-onboard price paid by my Department in 1917 was 17s. 2d. per cwt., and in 1918, when there was a short crop, 26s. per cwt. I am satisfied that, in view of the increased cost of production, which included a rise of 500 per cent. in the price of date boxes, the average prices paid in 1917 and 1918 represent highly advantageous buying.
§ Brigadier-General CROFTHas any Member of the Government been connected with this date trade during these years?
§ Mr. ROBERTSI can give my hon. and gallant Friend the assurance that I am not connected with it.
§ Mr. DEVLINWas any Member of the last Parliament?
§ Mr. SAMUELDo the Government intend in the next season to buy dates from the Persian Gulf free-on-board, and do they intend to put down the prices, seeing that the crop is one of the largest on record?
§ Mr. ROBERTSI am unable to state what is the intention with regard to further purchases, but if the hon. Member will put down a question I will give him a reply later.