§ 5. Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in connection with the Government's efforts to reduce unemployment, any 1598 instructions have been given in his Department that preference must be given in supplies for the Army and Air Force at home stations to meat of home origin and to flour milled from home-grown wheat, and in the case of foodstuffs regard must be had in accepting tenders to the economic standard of the workers in competing countries?
§ Mr. SHAWAs regards meat and flour, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture to the hon. and gallant Member for Newbury (Brigadier-General Clifton Brown) on 10th February last. As regards foodstuffs generally, preference is given as far as possible to home and Empire supplies over those of foreign origin.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEWill the right hon. Gentleman say why, since he gives preference to Empire food products, he does not give a preference to British agricultural food products, by providing home-grown meat and flour for the troops?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he has not considered that, whereas we have to pay taxes in this country—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. HURDIs it not now an accepted principle at the Imperial Conference as it has been for some years that British home products—[Interruption.]