Bacon Ration

HC Deb 17 November 1947 vol 444 cc820-1

101. Mr. Jeger

asked the Minister of Food when he hopes to restore the bacon ration to its pre-Canadian strike amount, now that the strike is over.

115. Mrs. Nichol

asked the Minister of Food how soon the bacon ration may be restored in view of the fact that the strike in Canada is satisfactorily ended.

118. Miss Bacon

asked the Minister of Food how soon he expects to be able to restore the bacon ration to two ounces per week.

96. Mr. Murray

asked the Minister of Food whether the Canadian supplies of bacon to this country are now back to normal, or when they are likely to be; and when he will be able to restore the 2 ozs. of bacon per person per week.

Dr. Edith Summerskill

The Canadian bacon factories are again in full operation, and during November it is expected that shipments of bacon from Canada will reach the normal volume. However, as my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer told the House on 23rd October, the ration will remain at one ounce per week with the abject of saving dollars.

Mr. Jeger

Is the Minister aware that one ounce of bacon is a very tiny amount indeed, very difficult for the shopkeeper to serve and much more difficult for the housewife to serve up? Consequently would it not be better to abolish it altogether for a period until it is possible to restore it to something like a reasonable ration?

Dr. Siunmerskill

I fully realise that the bacon ration is very small—indeed I must confess I have forgotten what a rasher of bacon looks like in my household—but we must recollect what the Chancellor of the Exchequer said, that it is absolutely essential to economise in dollars.

Mrs. Ayrton Gould

Can my hon. Friend state whether, in fact, the bacon is coming to this country under contract, and if that is so will it not be given out to the people?

Dr. Summerskill

If the bacon is available, I can assure my hon. Friend that the people will have it.