§ 25. Mr. LEACHasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether the low-priced and inferior quality of margarine supplied to the Air Force is of the type to which vitamins A and D have been artificially added or is it of the non-vitamin containing variety?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for AIR (Sir Philip Sassoon)The margarine supplied to apprentices and boys in the Royal Air Force is vitaminised, but not that supplied to airmen.
§ Mr. LEACHCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the insertion of these vitamins in margarine can actually be performed with success; and does he know that butter contains both these vitamins?
Viscountess ASTORCan my right hon. Friend persuade the Government to take 418 a little of the money from beet sugar and put more vitamins into the fighting Services?
§ Sir P. SASSOONI believe medical authorities consider that vitaminised margarine is equal if not superior to butter—
§ Mr. STEPHENDo you use it in your own household?
§ Sir P. SASSOON—because the vitamin content of butter varies according to the seasons of the year.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSCan the right hon. Gentleman tell the House exactly which quality the Government consume?
§ Mr. SHINWELLAre we to understand from the answer of the right hon. Gentleman that the provision of margarine is not determined by the cost?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEIs my right hon. Friend aware that the use of margarine instead of butter has a very serious effect upon recruiting?
§ 26. Mr. LEACHasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware of the experiments conducted by Dr. Cory Mann, on behalf of the British Medical Research Council, which showed that butter promoted growth and development in the case of growing boys, whereas margarine failed in this respect; and will he discontinue to take the risk to the health and physique of the youths and men of the Air Force involved in continuing the use of margarine?
§ Sir P. SASSOONAs regards the first part of the question, I am aware of the experiments referred to by the hon. Member. As regards the second part, I have just stated that fully vitaminised margarine is supplied to apprentices and boys.
§ Mr. LEACHWill the Under-Secretary tell the House in a single word whether he himself personally approves of the use of margarine rather than butter?
§ Mr. SHINWELLIs margarine being provided instead of butter because of the cost, or because it is superior to butter?
§ Sir P. SASSOONMy information is that the use of margarine for the forces was brought in by the Labour Government.