§ 22. Colonel Sir EDWARD RUGGLES-BRISEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state the quantity 1993 of home-grown malting barley used for brewing in the years ended June, 1934 and 1935, together with the average price paid to the farmer; the number of standard barrels brewed for the same period; and what steps he proposes to take to secure that the present crop of home-grown malting barley will pass into consumption for brewing purposes?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINWith regard to the first part of the question, the official statistics do not distinguish between home-grown and imported malting barley used for brewing, and I have no information as to the average price paid to farmers for malting barley during the periods in question. With regard to the second part, the numbers of standard barrels of beer brewed were 15,132,000 in the year ended June, 1934, and 15,862,000 in the year ended June, 1935. With regard to the third part, I do not consider that any steps are necessary, as I understand that the Brewers' Society consider themselves still bound by the pledge they gave to me in 1933.
§ Sir E. RUGGLES-BRISECould the right hon. Gentleman give the House the figure of the amount of barley bought by the brewers in the year ended June, 1934, as against the year ended June, 1933?