74. Mr. KENNEDY JONESasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the new ordinance relaxing the export of foodstuffs from this country to 1418 neutral countries, he will inform the House of the exact nature of these foodstuffs and state whether the supplies of them are assumed to be adequate for our own requirements not merely now but in the immediate future?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI presume my hon. Friend refers to the inter-Allied agreement under which all commodities other than war material may be imported into the Northern neutral countries and Switzerland without quantitative restriction. This relaxation, however, does not remove the necessity to obtain a licence in the case of goods prohibited to be exported to non-British destinations, and these goods include all foodstuffs of which there is any danger of shortage in this country. The principal items in this category are bread, fresh meat, fresh fish, poultry and game, condensed milk, butter, sugar, fresh fruit (with a few exceptions), dried fruit and preserves, confectionery, fresh vegetables, cheese, eggs (except liquid frozen eggs and dried eggs), sausages, margarine, lard, rice, wheat and wheat flour, and also tea, coffee, beer and whisky. All foodstuffs not retained on this list are free of export except to Russia. In determining what articles should be retained on the prohibited list, and the extent to which licences for their export may be granted, the Board of Trade are guided by the advice of the Ministry of Food.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that very large quantities of whisky arc being sent abroad to foreign countries, and will he try to rectify as far as possible the exchange?