38. Miss Wardasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that U.N.R.R.A. has been charged with feeding liberated territories, the organisation is already operating in such countries; and whether sufficient foods have been released to feed these populations.
§ The Financial Secretary to the War Office (Mr. Arthur Henderson)U.N.R.R.A. is not yet furnishing supplies to liberated territories, the provision of supplies for which is necessarily in the first phase a responsibility of the combined United Kingdom/United States military authorities. Food to supplement local production, up to the standard necessary to prevent disease and unrest, has been and is being despatched by those authorities to the areas so far liberated. Owing to the agricultural nature of the territory so far liberated in Normandy, the demand there has up to now been small, but it is likely to become much greater when industrial areas are freed.
Miss WardMay I ask my hon. and learned Friend where food supplies are drawn from? Presumably not from U.N.R.R.A.
§ Mr. HendersonNo, they are supplied by the military authorities of the United States Army and the British Army.
Miss WardWill my hon. Friend be quite certain that there will be sufficient food available for all the liberated territories, before U.N.R.R.A. goes into operation?
§ Mr. HendersonUp to date there has certainly been sufficient. As a matter of fact, the amount sent has been relatively small because of the small demand, and medical supplies also are already on the way.