§ 27. Mr. Collinsasked the Minister of Food if he is aware that people living in remote parts of Exmoor have suffered privations during the recent severe weather owing to being cut off from supplies of rationed foods; that this, in normal times, is provided for by laying in a stock of food, particularly flour, and if he can make arrangements to overcome the present difficulty by permitting the use of a proportion of points prior to the due date to enable small stocks to be held against emergencies of this kind.
§ Mr. StracheyLocal food officers have full discretionary powers to enable people in isolated districts to lay in stocks of food by the use of coupons in advance, including points and bread coupons.
§ Mr. CollinsIs my right hon. Friend aware that in parts of Exmoor people are sometimes living 10 miles from the grocer or the butcher, and that unless local food offices allow them stocks of food well in advance they will suffer privation?
§ Mr. StracheyPerhaps the hon. Member will give me particulars of instances of local food offices failing to use their discretion.
28. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the exceptionally cold weather, he will temporarily increase the allocation of food and fats throughout the country.
§ Mr. StracheyI am afraid supplies do not permit of this.
Mr. De la BèreIs not the Minister aware that at the present time a reduction in the ration of sweets is being considered? Would it not be possible to allow an equivalent amount of sugar so as to make up the reduction brought about by the Government's mishandling of the coal situation? Is it not a fact that manufacturers cannot get coal to make the sweets? What a Government!