§ 22. Mr. DAYasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the amount of foreign tinned fruit that was supplied to the Army during the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?
§ Mr. COOPERTinned 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. Preference is given as far as possible to products of the United Kingdom or other parts of the Empire, and approximately 87 per cent. of the tinned fruit purchased by the Department during the past 12 months was of home or Dominion origin.
§ Mr. COOPERThey are not part of the normal rations of the Service.
§ Mr. DAYIs it the intention of the Government to supply 100 per cent, of either Empire or home-produced tinned fruit?
§ Mr. COOPEREighty-seven per cent. is a high proportion, and the Army Council and the people responsible feel that they are obliged to consult the special demands of people who may, for some reason of their own, wish for some other fruit than that of Dominion origin.