§ 9. Mr. RENNIE SMITHasked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the 45 weeks' food supplies imported annually into Great Britain come from South America, Canada, and She United States?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe hon. Member is, I think, applying to foodstuffs as a whole a figure that relates to breadstuffs, when he calculates the pro-
§ amount of labour, and corresponding expense, to prepare.
§ The total imports from all countries, and from the countries understood to be covered by the steel cartel, and exports to all countries, and to the group in question in 1922, and in each of the years 1925 and 1926, were as shown below. The figures apply to all iron and steel and manufactures thereof other than pig-iron and ferro alloys; and the countries covered by the columns marked (b) are Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.
§ portion of our food supplies which is imported. For different kinds of foods that proportion varies, and for food as a whole is substantially less than 45 weeks' supply. Probably 30 weeks or less would represent the position more accurately. Of the total imported foodstuffs, the consignments from Canada have represented about 10 per cent. in the last three years, and consignments from the United States and from South America slightly over 13 per cent. in each case. These percentages relate to the money value of the imports after deduction of re-exports, and cover drink as well as food.