HC Deb 10 May 1948 vol 450 c1726
37. Mrs. Castle

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the difficulty of increasing the old age pensioners' ration of fresh milk, he will consider making them an allocation off points of evaporated or condensed milk.

Mr. Strachey

I am sorry, but the extra tinned milk would require too great an expenditure in dollars, and this we cannot afford.

Mrs. Castle

I thank my right hon. Friend for the courtesy of his intelligible reply on this important matter, and ask him whether, when he resumes imports of evaporated milk from the United States under the Marshall Plan, he will allocate some of the additional supplies to old people?

Mr. Strachey

We will certainly consider that if and when we are able to resume imports.

Mr. A. Edward Davies

Is the Minister aware of the difficulty which old people have in eating many of the ordinary foods and will he consider making it easier for them to get more fresh milk by making the certificate available for more than one month?

Mr. Strachey

We will consider any detailed proposition which my hon. Friend can make on the matter.