§ 12. Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if, in placing contracts for the supply of bread and flour, he will insert a clause that will ensure a proportion of English-grown wheat being used?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Davidson)One of the principal factors which experience has shown to be essential to enable His Majesty's ships to carry the necessary stocks of flour with the least risk of loss is the moisture content, and from its nature English-grown wheat can only form a very small percentage of the variety of wheats used by millers to produce flour of the type required. In the case of bread, the Admiralty follows the established policy of purchasing to general trade standard, and, in this connection, it is not considered desirable to introduce any stipulation as to the wheat from which flour is produced.
§ Mr. SPENCERWill the hon. Gentleman tell us how Englishmen lived before we imported wheat into this country
§ Mr. BLUNDELLWill the Admiralty consider using only British flour for biscuits in the Navy, British flour being pre-eminently suitable for biscuit making?
§ Mr. HARRISWill the hon. Gentleman consider bringing wheat under the Merchandise Marks Bill?
§ 18. Mr. RAMSDENasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will give the percentage value of all foodstuffs, and of all other stores and materials of any kind purchased by his Department during the last financial year, and which were of foreign origin?
Mr. DAVIDSONI would refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 19th November, 1925, to the hon. and gallant Member for Hallam (Major-General Sir F. Sykes) (OFFICIAL REPORT, column 590–1).