§ 51 and 52. Colonel J. R. H. Hutchisonasked the Minister of Food (1) whether he is satisfied that, of the supplies of linseed oil procured by the Allied Control, this country is getting its fair share; and that that share is being fairly allocated as between the two major consuming industries, paint and linoleum;
(2) in view of the shortage of linseed oil for industry, what steps he is taking to secure a larger proportion of this oil than under the present method of allied control to which the U.S.S.R. is not at present a party.
§ Mr. StracheyI am afraid I cannot add anything to the detailed reply I gave to 2008 the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy (Mr. Hubbard) and the hon. and gallant Member for the Isle of Ely (Major Legge-Bourke) on 29th May of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Colonel HutchisonWill the Minister undertake to examine again a system which has permitted in the past year an allocation to the United States of America of 371,000 tons and to this country of 93,000 tons? Will he satisfy himself also that the ratio between the paint and the linoleum industries is a fair one in relation to their prewar consumption?
§ Mr. StracheyWe are very actively considering both of those questions, but I cannot promise that we shall be able to get enough supply to satisfy everybody in the immediate future. It is a very real shortage.