45. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Prime Minister whether, in connection with the exportation and manufacture of foodstuffs, such as biscuits and chocolates, he will take steps to place the control and authorisation for export of these commodities under the Minister of Food, with a view to his authority overriding, when necessary, the Department of Overseas Trade and the Export Council, since many members of the working public employed throughout the night and others utilising 1573 air-raid shelters throughout the night, are unable to secure adequate supplies at the present time?
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Mr. Attlee)Exports of the majority of important foodstuffs, except to the Colonies, are controlled by the Export Licensing Department of the Board of Trade, in consultation with the Ministry of Food and other Departments concerned. Exports to the Colonies are controlled by import licences, issued by the Colonial Administrations in agreement with the Colonial Office and the Ministry of Food. The Minister of Food sees no reason for altering the existing arrangements. Where commodities are in short supply in the United Kingdom—for example, chocolate and biscuits—it is due to the supply position, not to the exports, which are negligible in volume. The actual quantities of various foodstuffs, the export of which might be licensed, is at the present moment under discussion, and the question of still further restricting the small quantities of foodstuffs in short supply which are at present exported will be considered. In the case of biscuits, which make demands upon our supplies of sugar and fats, the present export is only a small proportion—about 5 per cent.—of the normal export.
Mr. De la BèreCan my right hon. Friend suggest that the 3,000 tons of biscuits exported during the last three months is a negligible quantity? Is he not aware that owing to these considerations a first-class muddle has occurred, and that the public are without biscuits and slab chocolate to-day? Will he not take definite action to put these matters right, and not allow Mr. D'Arcy Cooper to go down to Reading and say that the export trade in biscuits is to be maintained, when there are not enough for home consumption? It is a grave scandal, and I shall have to raise the matter on the Adjournment.