§ 6. Mr. HOUSTONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any information to the effect that the Argentine Government intend prohibiting the export of wheat from Argentina; and, if this prohibition is enforced, can he state from which countries it is intended to draw the supplies of wheat we require in this country?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe Argentine Government introduced a Bill on 1st June imposing an additional export duty of five dollars per 100 kilogrammes on wheat and flour, the proceeds to be used for the purpose of lowering the price of bread in the Argentine. The Bill does not provide for prohibition of export, but it authorises the Government to expropriate when necessary wheat and flour as articles of public utility.
The question of safeguarding our wheat supplies is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Food.
§ Mr. HOUSTONIs my hon. Friend not aware that on Friday last the Argentine Government prohibited the export of grain. In view of the shortage of grain in all foreign countries, and the vital necessity of increasing our home production, can he say what the Government intend to do?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI cannot say what the Government intend to do, but the explanation which I got from the Wheat Commission recently was that prohibition had not yet been made, and the Bill introduced with regard to that had not yet been passed.
§ Sir R. COOPERHave not the Government made large purchases of wheat in the Argentine, and will they take steps to see that no law is passed in that country to prevent that wheat coming to this country?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI should like to see notice of that question on the Paper.
§ Mr. PEMBERTON BILLINGWill the Government take steps to prohibit the export of coal to the Argentine, if we cannot get wheat from there?