§ 26. Mr. ROSBOTHAMasked the Secretary of State for War what steps have been taken by his Department to purchase the necessary supply of home-cured bacon for the Army from home sources, and with what result?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. T. Shaw)I can assure my bon. Friend that very full consideration has been given to the question of obtaining a supply of home-produced bacon for the Army, but unfortunately up to the present, owing to cost and other factors, it has not been possible to obtain a supply.
§ Mr. SHAWI cannot say offhand what the latest contract has been for. I can say, however, that as soon as we get an organised supply of a standardised product in this country, it will receive very sympathetic consideration at the War Office.
Mr. YOUNGIs it not a fact that there is some kind of agreement between the British and Danish bacon curers, and can he be sure that if he asks for British bacon he will get British bacon?
§ Mr. LEIF JONESWill the right hon. Gentleman make sure that he gets good bacon.
§ Mr. SHAWI have already mentioned that there is no organised supply of a standardised product in this country.
§ 27. Mr. SMITHERSasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that tinned fruit is being supplied to His Majesty's Forces with names suggesting British origin, but which is, in fact, of foreign origin; and what steps he is prepared to take to ensure that only British or Empire tinned fruits are supplied to the Forces in the future?
§ Mr. SHAWTinned fruit does not form part of the soldier's ration, and is purchased by the War Office only to meet the requirements of the Air Force overseas and of hospitals at home. It is the exception for foreign fruit to be purchased, and approximately 94 per cent. of the purchases made during the past 12 months was the product either of the United Kingdom or some other part of the Empire. I understand that foreign tinned fruit is always so labelled. As regards tinned fruit sold to the soldier by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes, I am informed that it is the policy of the corporation to confine its purchases to products of the United Kingdom or other parts of the Empire wherever possible. Foreign fruit is obtained only to meet small occasional demands from customers.
§ Mr. SMITHERSWith reference to that part of the right hon. Gentleman's answer in which he said that tins of foreign fruit were labelled, may I ask him if he is aware that many of these labels bear some British name, and that the foreign origin is indicated in quite small letters? Will he examine some of them?
§ Mr. SHAWI have told the hon. Member that these fruits are dealt with by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes. I do not know whether the statement that he makes is correct or not; I have no first-hand knowledge of that fact; but I am informed that these cans are definitely labelled with an indication that they are foreign products.
§ Mr. SMITHERSIn very small letters.
§ Major COLVILLEDoes that apply to jam made from pulp?