§ 49. Lieut.-Colonel CROFTasked the Prime Minister whether he will consider the possibility of taking steps to see that all imported grain is milled in Great Britain, thus giving greater employment to the British milling industry and cheaper feeding stuffs to British stock raisers and poultry farmers?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of FOOD (Sir W. Mitchell-Thomson)I have been asked to reply. So far as I am aware all wheat imported into this country and fit for milling is at the present time milled into flour in this country.
§ Lieut.-Colonel CROFTDoes that answer convey the idea that there is no flour being imported into this country?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONBy no means. If that is what my hon. and gallant Friend means, I think he will see, if he looks at his question, that his words do not convey that meaning. If he asks me the general question as to flour, as distinguished from wheat, I would point out, in the first place, that there has always been a considerable importation of flour into this country, because bakers in certain localities—for instance, Scotland—require a particular class of flour which is not commonly milled in this country, to suit the convenience of their customers, and, in the second place, speaking from memory, I think he will find the importation of flour this last year has been less than the pre-War importation.
§ Lieut.-Colonel CROFTI will put my question to the Prime Minister in a more lucid form.
Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSWould it not help the British exchange if we carried out this milling in our own country instead of paying the American miller to do what we can well do ourselves?
§ Mr. R. RICHARDSONWould it not be better that land which has gone out of wheat cultivation should be brought into cultivation again?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI agree.