§ 19. Viscount WOLMERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how much is expended on the purchase of bacon for the Navy per annum; and what would be the additional cost if only home-grown bacon were used?
§ Mr. AMMONBacon is purchased directly by the Admiralty only for naval hospitals and the Royal Hospital School, Greenwich. The cost is about £2,400 per annum. Canadian bacon smoked in this 2136 country is specified as being suitable for the purpose; the extra cost if homegrown bacon were supplied would be approximately £530 per annum. The bacon consumed in His Majesty's ships and naval establishments, other than hospitals, is supplied, as required by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes, and the information asked for by the Noble Member is not immediately available.
§ Viscount WOLMERDoes not the hon. Member think it would be a good plan to encourage British agriculture?
§ 38 and 67. Viscount WOLMER(1) asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how much is expended on the purchase of bacon for the Air Force; and what would be the additional cost if only home-grown bacon were used;
(2) asked the Secretary of State for War how much is expended on the purchase of bacon for the Army per annum; and what would be the additional cost if only home-grown bacon were used?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Shinwell)The value of the bacon purchased in this country for the Army and Air Force during the last financial year was about £190,000. This bacon was mainly of Dominion origin. It is estimated that the purchase of home-grown bacon only would have involved an increased cost of at least £40,000.
§ Mr. CHARLES WILLIAMSWhat percentage did not come from the British Empire?
§ Mr. SHINWELLThe hon. Member can make his own calculation.