HC Deb 27 February 1946 vol 419 cc1928-31
73. Mr. De la Bère

asked the Minister of Food when the Combined Food Board was set up; the method by which it is being financed; by what facts and statistics it works; through what channels such information is supplied; what are its precise functions; how and to what degree it is entitled to deal with food supplies made available to this country by our Dominions; does its operations in any way bring these and other supplies into the dollar problem; and if he will consider issuing a White Paper on the Combined Food Board.

78. Mr. Michael Foot

asked the Minister of Food what nations are represented on the Combined Food Board; whether it issues recommendations or instructions; and what commodities come within the control of the Combined Food Board.

Sir B. Smith

As the first of these two Questions covers so wide a field, I propose, with permission, to circulate he answer in the Official Report.

Mr. De la Bère

Is it not a fact that however great the sacrifices of the Dominions in order to give more food to this country, we do not receive any additional benefit by reason of the allocation which the Combined Food Board makes?

Sir B. Smith

Of certain basic foods that would be correct, but of other foods it would be incorrect.

Mr. De la Bère

Surely the sacrifices of the Dominion? are something from which we should get the benefit? It is thoroughly unsatisfactory.

Mr. Foot

Is it not true that in the middle of 1945 wheat and flour were removed from this system of international allocation under the Combined Food Board, and can the Minister say what steps have been taken to restore wheat and flour to the system in view of the present tragic world situation?

Sir B. Smith

There was a change in the system from a six-monthly to a monthly review, so that people could keep more on top of the problem and arrange for shipping and maintain a much more fluid system than planning for six months ahead.

Mr. Foot

Has the attention of the Minister been drawn to the statement by Mr. Lehmann, the head of U.N.R.R.A., about the very grave disadvantages experienced by U.N.R.R.A. owing to the fact that wheat and flour were removed from this system in the middle of 1945?

Sir B. Smith

I am sorry that is not correct. U:N.R.R.A.-is not a member of the Board, but its representatives attend commodity committees where their demands are screened and discussed. 1 can well understand that Governor Lehmann would make that statement, when there is such a world shortage of the commodities we are discussing.

Mr. Driberg

Does the Minister's answer mean that wheat is not in fact controlled internationally at all?

Sir B. Smith

Wheat is not controlled in the sense that there is no procurement of it. It is allotted and then the countries that have the allotment have to go out to the world and buy it.

Mr. Foot

Is it not high time that much more strenuous efforts were made to establish a real system of international reallocation of wheat supplies in this situation?

Sir B. Smith

I hope that as soon as the F.A.O. gets into being we shall have that machine

Following is the answer.

The Combined Food Board was established in July, 1942. The small staff of the Board is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the British Food Mission in Washington. The Board has no other financial responsibilities. The purpose of the Board is to provide a common forum at which importing and exporting countries may discuss 'their problems and work out recommendations for presentation to their respective Governments regarding the production, procurement and allocation of available food supplies. The Board has no mandatory or executive powers.

The Board, which consists of representatives of the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, acts through its Commodity Committees which cover each of the major foodstuffs, in short supply, namely, cereals, feedingstuffs, oils and fats, meat, dairy products, sugar, rice, cocoa and spices, tea, dried fruits, fish and fish products. In addition, there are committees covering agricultural seeds and fertilisers. Each commodity committee consists of representatives of the main importing and exporting countries for that commodity. The Boardand its committees obtain the information they require regarding supplies, stocks, consumption levels and other relevant material from the members of the committees.

The Dominions, other than Canada, are associated with the Board through the London Food Council, and, in addition, they are entitled to be represented at meetings of the committees of the Board when matters of interest to them are discussed. The London Food Council performs similar functions in relation to the British Commonwealth to those of the Combined Food Board for the world as a whole, and this work is fully integrated with that of the Board. Almost all the basic foodstuffs available for export from the Dominions are allocated to the British Commonwealth and primarily to the United Kingdom.

The dollar problem is bound to affect every aspect of our food import arrangements, but the operations of the Board in no way aggravate it. After consultation with the other members of the Combined Food Board, I will certainly consider the desirability of issuing a White Paper.