43. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Food whether he will give a list of the countries to which manufacturers in this country are exporting chocolate, as from 1st January, 1947; and the total quantity of manufactured chocolate thus exported.
§ Mr. StracheyNine thousand five hundred tons of chocolate and chocolate confectionery, including exports to His Majesty's Forces, have been exported by British manufacturers to various countries between 1st January and the end of October. With permission, I will circulate a list of the countries in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Mr. De la BèreExcluding the Forces, does the Minister think it really right, in view of the central and vital fact that the people of this country are very short of food, that chocolate should be sent overseas to countries that have more food than we have ourselves?
§ Mr. StracheyYes, I think it is right, because the sale of this chocolate to dollar countries and other hard currency countries enables us to purchase very much larger quantities of feedingstuffs and other foodstuffs.
§ Air-Commodore HarveyCan the Minister say what percentage of this chocolate went to non-hard currency areas?
§ Mr. StracheyNot without notice. The hon. and gallant Gentleman will be able to see in the list to be circulated.
§ Following are the countries:
§ List of countries receiving exports of chocolate and chocolate confectionery from manufacturers in this country.
| Anglo-Egyptian | Libya. |
| Sudan | Malayan Union. |
| Australia. | Malta and Gozo. |
| Austria | Mauritius and Dependencies. |
| Barbados. | |
| Belgian Congo. | Morocco. |
| Belgium. | Netherlands. |
| Bermuda. | Newfoundland. |
| Brazil. | Nigeria. |
| British Guiana. | North Borneo. |
| British Honduras | Norway. |
| Burma. | Nyasaland |
| Canada. | Protectorate. |
| Ceylon and | Palestine. |
| Dependencies. | Peru. |
| Channel Islands | Philippines. |
| Cyprus. | Poland. |
| Czechoslovakia. | Portugal and Colonies. |
| Denmark. | |
| Egypt | Roumania. |
| Eire. | St. Helena and Ascension I. |
| Ethiopia. | |
| Falkland Islands. | Sarawak. |
| Faroes. | Saudi Arabia. |
| Finland. | Seychelles. |
| France. | Siam. |
| Germany. | Sierra Leone. |
| Gold Coast. | Singapore. |
| Greece. | Southern Rhodesia. |
| Haiti. | Soviet Russia. |
| Hong Kong. | Switzerland. |
| Hungary. | Tanganyika |
| Iceland. | Territories. |
| India. | Trinidad and Tobago. |
| Iran. | Turkey. |
| Iraq. | Uganda. |
| Italian East Africa. | Union of South |
| Italy. | U.S.A. Africa |
| Jamaica. | Venezuela. |
| Kenya. | Windward Isles. |
| Lebanon. | Zanzibar and Penda. |