§ 57. Captain Gammansasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food why the use of national wheatmeal flour is not made compulsory if, as stated in the Ministry of Food public announcements, its use would effect a saving of 20 per cent. in shipping space?
§ Mr. A. BevanIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that it is often impossible for customers to get this bread from bakers, and is there no way of telling them of available supplies?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI should be grateful if my hon. Friend would let me know of any cases. I shall be very glad to take action.
§ 61. Mr. Stokesasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the policy with regard to the production of wholewheat bread, embodying the advice of the scientific advisory com- 1782 mittee, is being carried out; and whether specific instructions have been given to the millers that flour for the 85 per cent. loaf is to include all the valuable nutritional constituents of the wheat and exclude the bran and pollards?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI presume the hon. Member in referring to wholewheat bread has in mind the national wheatmeal loaf of 85 per cent. extraction, the specification for which was approved by the Scientific Food Policy Committee and the Medical Research Council. Precise instructions on how to prepare this particular type of meal were circulated to all millers. These instructions lay down that the flour should contain the greater part of the germ and that the coarse bran and part of the pollards should be excluded.
§ Mr. StokesIs the Minister aware that some of the millers are not carrying out this instruction, and will he consent to meet me and the hon. Member for Cambridge University (Prof. Hill) in the Strangers' dining room after Questions, when I can demonstrate to him and any other Members that the proper instructions are not being carried out?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI cannot say that there is not one that is not carried out. You do, of course, come across cases where the instruction is not carried out, and we take action. We have a system by which we do take it, and I can assure my hon. Friend that action is taken.
§ Dr. Edith SummerskillWhy are not people told on the B.B.C. that the wheatmeal loaf is infinitely superior to any white bread?
Major Lloyd GeorgeWe have used every kind and system of publicity, and while I myself have not heard it on the B.B.C., I have certainly seen advertisements which have definitely drawn attention to the merits of wheatmeal.
§ Sir Joseph LambIs the Minister aware that many people apply for wheatmeal bread and cannot get it?
Major Lloyd GeorgeIf my hon. Friend will be good enough to let me know of any cases, I will look into them.
§ Professor A. V. HillCan my right hon. and gallant Friend say why it is possible to obtain a large number of different samples of so-called wholemeal bread 1783 containing anything from none up to the whole of the grain, and why is it so difficult for anyone but one of the larger bakers to obtain the proper stuff?
§ Sir H. WilliamsTo what extent does the conflict between animal feeding-stuffs and human feeding-stuffs cause short supplies to bakers?