§ 29 and 30. Mr. R. Morganasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether, in view of the desire of many 157 people in this country to assist the security of the nation by increasing the amount of food stored in their households he proposes to take any steps to advise the public as to what foods can best be stored in the national interests;
(2)whether he is aware that since 2nd February there has been an appreciable increase in the quantity of tinned foodstuffs sold to consumers in this country; and whether, in these circumstances, he will consider the desirability of making some statement advising consumers to buy as far as possible canned foods of British production?
§ The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. W. S. Morrison)I have been asked to reply. On 2nd February my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade informed the House that the Government saw no objection to the accumulation by householders of modest additions to their normal reserves of foodstuffs. A list of suitable foods and instructions as to the best methods of storage, was subsequently prepared by the Food (Defence Plans) Department. Particulars have appeared in the Press and will be forwarded to anyone making application to the Department. In reply to my hon. Friend's suggestion, I should welcome it if home food manufacturers benefited from this movement.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsAre the Government themselves or the right hon. Gentleman's Department taking steps to store food in quantity?
§ Mr. MorrisonThe Department is taking steps to store certain quantities of essential foodstuffs.
§ Mr. G. GriffithsWill the right hop. Gentleman advise the unemployed how they can get this additional store with the money they are getting now?
§ Mr. T. WilliamsWill the right hon. Gentleman's future food policy be intimated to the President of the Board of Trade before any future restrictions on the growers of bacon, beef, mutton, lamb, and so on take place?
§ Mr. MorrisonAll these aspects of Government policy are co-ordinated.