HC Deb 28 January 1948 vol 446 cc1012-3
61. Mr. Wadsworth

asked the Minister of Food what percentage of total food consumed in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland was produced in the British Isles, excluding Eire in 1947, and how this compares with 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945 and 1946.

Dr. Summerskill

As the reply includes a number of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Mikardo

On a point of Order. In view of the fact that we are seldom able to get all our Questions replied to, I would ask you, Mr. Speaker, to indicate to hon. Members the desirability of putting down as Questions not for oral answer those the answers to which will involve a lot of figures and which will, therefore, not be given orally.

Mr. Speaker

I must always leave that to the discretion of hon. Members themselves. I cannot tell them what to put down as an oral Question and as a non-oral Question, but I trust that hon. Members will do their best to put down Questions which are not required for immediate answer as non-oral Questions. That is all I can say.

Following is the reply:

Separate figures are not available for 1938 and 1939. The pre-war average (1934–38) was 30 per cent. For the other years the figures are:

Year Per cent.
1940 … … 32
1941 … … 31
1942 … … 38
1943 … … 43
1944 … … 42
1945 … … 41
1946 … … 39
1946/47 (July to June) … … 39

Figures for the year 1947 are not yet available. The above figures are calculated on a calorie basis. Other bases would give different results.

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