§ 44. Mr. Wootton-Daviesasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply, in connection with the representations which have been made to him as to the use of straw for paper-making, whether he is aware that a process has been evolved for extracting food from straw before it is made into paper; and what arrangements he is making to supply paper manufacturers with an adequate supply of straw during the next few months?
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply (Mr. Harold Macmillan)I am aware of a suggested process to extract animal feeding-stuff from straw and leave a residue suitable for paper-making. The process is still in the experimental stage. As regards the last part of the Question, the Ministry of Supply are collaborating with the Agricultural Departments and the Ministry of War Transport and with the Paper Makers' Straw Trading Company in arrangements to move substantial quantities of wheat and other straw to paper mills as soon as supplies from this year's; harvest become available.
§ Colonel ColvilleDoes this answer cover the case of esparto mills m Scotland which are experiencing great difficulty in obtaining raw material?
§ Mr. MacmillanThe difficulty is partly raw materials and partly the technical character of making paper.
§ Mr. MathersIs it not a fact that these mills have very efficiently equipped themselves for the use of straw instead of esparto, and that it is straw they want?
§ Mr. MacmillanThat is why we are proposing to move as much straw as possible to paper mills at the earliest possible moment.