§ 57. Sir Stanley Reedasked the Minister of Food why the small remaining stocks of China tea in Britain, amounting to about 350 tons, have been repacked and shipped to Casablanca.
§ Colonel LlewellinThe tea to which my hon. Friend refers was green tea and not the black China tea, for which there is, normally, a demand in this country. There are still some small stocks of the latter, and much better tea in this country.
§ Sir S. ReedIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that many delicate people drink only China tea? Is there a good reason why this limited supply should be exported to what is pre-eminently a coffee drinking community?
§ Colonel LlewellinThe tea position is this. My Ministry buys all the tea for all the United Nations, and we have to look 772 after our Allies in making our allocations, under a committee of the Combined Food Board. There was a demand for tea in North Africa, and we sent out the type which they prefer, and which most people in this country do not like.