§ 48. Mr. Woodburnasked the Minister of Food if he will state the number of man-hours required to load, transport, unload and brew into beer any given quantity of cereals sent, under the present arrangements, to Ireland for brewing and the man-hours required to ship back the beer, compared with the man-hours required to brew the beer, in the existing English end Scottish breweries.
§ Colonel LlewellinI regret that the detailed information desired by my hon. Friend is not available, but I am satisfied that the arrangement is economical in the use of United Kingdom man-power.
§ Mr. WoodburnIs it not extremely wasteful in transport to take cereals to Ireland and bring beer back to this country, when it could be brewed here with very little labour?
§ Colonel LlewellinWe have not the man-power to-day to brew the beer here. As a matter of fact one ton of cereals produces six tons of beer, and the beer from Ireland is only shipped coastwise to the coastal districts of this country.
§ Mr. MathersIs there not something wrong when there is too much beer being brewed to be met by the man-power of this country?
§ Professor SavoryIs there not very considerable risk in this traffic to the lives of our seamen?
§ Colonel LlewellinNo, Sir. Fortuately there have recently been no losses in what I think is termed the Irish Sea.
Viscountess AstorIs it not true that there is a shameful shortage of feed for chickens, and that Members of Parliament would rather have a good fried egg than a pint of beer?
§ Colonel LlewellinMy aim is to give people both eggs and beer.