§ 74. Mr. RAFFANasked the Minister of Food the amount, in tons, of barley, rye, oats, maize, flaked rice, and other cereals, sugar molasses, and glucose used in brewing and distilling in the United Kingdom during the year ending 31st December, 1919?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of FOOD (Sir W. Mitchell-Thomson)As the answer to this question is in the form of a statistical table I will, with the permission of the House, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ The following is the information promised:
§ The latest period for which the information desired by the hon. Member is available is the year ended 30th September, 1919. The quantities of materials actually used by brewers in the United Kingdom in that period were as follows:
| Tons. | |
| Malt | 556,157 |
| Unmalted corn | 2,397 |
| Rice, rice grits, flaked rice, maize grits, flaked maize, and other similar preparations | 17,551 |
| Sugar, including its equivalents of syrups, glucose and saccharum | 76,588 |
§ The estimated quantities of materials used in distilleries in the same period were:
| Tons. | |||||
| Malt | … | … | … | … | 113,875 |
| Unmalted grain | … | … | … | 177,000 | |
| Rice | … | … | … | … | — |
| Molasses | … | … | … | … | 4,421 |
| Glucose | … | … | … | … | — |
| Sugar | … | … | … | … | 66 |
| Other materials | … | … | … | 900 |
§ 75. Mr. RAFFANasked the Minister of Food in what forms sugar or its equivalents are employed in the process of brewing; in what respect brewing sugars are unsuitable for manufacturing and domestic purposes; and whether such sugars could be rendered suitable for domestic or manufacturing purposes?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONSugar is generally used for brewing in a form known as "Brewers Invert." The raw material of this commodity is a low grade of cane sugar with a very high percentage of impurity, and, in the majority of cases, an unpleasant taste. Such sugar cannot be rendered suitable for domestic or manufacturing purposes except at an expense so great as to be, in most cases, practically prohibitive. It can be, however, and is, to some extent, manufactured into syrup for domestic consumption.