HC Deb 17 June 1948 vol 452 cc630-1
18. Colonel Ropner

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement with regard to the adequacy or otherwise of the supply of tobacco for the next 12 months.

Mr. H. Wilson

The amount of tobacco leaf which we can expect to get from the United States this year is still uncertain, but it must in any circumstances be small compared with normal requirements. We expect larger supplies from Southern Rhodesia than ever before, and there should be small increases from other non-dollar sources. But, even on the most favourable assumptions, these sources of supply cannot at present or in the immediate future make up for the reduction in supplies from the United States.

In the circumstances, we must expect the supplies of tobacco goods in the shops to continue to be severely limited. These supplies are already falling below demand, and there have been queues and complaints of shortages. Nevertheless, even these limited supplies are greater than before the war. The shortage is general, and there is every prospect that it will continue for a long time ahead. The fact is that as a nation we are trying to smoke more than we can afford.

Mr. Henderson Stewart

Is it true that one may go to a tobacco shop and order a large quantity of tobacco and cigarettes, duty free, and send them out to Holland, Denmark and other countries—tobacco for which we have paid dollars?

Mr. Wilson

I would like to have notice of questions about arrangements for shipping supplies overseas.

Mr. Harrison

Does the Minister give full consideration to the value of manufactured tobacco, with respect to the possibility of getting the raw tobacco here and manufacturing this tobacco for re-export?

Mr. Wilson

Yes, Sir, we give a lot of consideration to that matter. There are arguments in favour of importing dollar tobacco and exporting the manufactured tobacco to soft currency countries, but most of the exports go to hard currency countries or to countries which otherwise would be paying sterling-area dollars to buy cigarettes.

Mr. Lipson

Can the right hon. Gentleman say anything about the reserve supply of tobacco which is already in this country?