§ 18. Mr. C. S. Taylorasked the Minister of Food how much cheese was imported from the U.S.A. to Britain in the last six months; how much cheese was exported from this country to the U.S.A. in the same period; and what were the values in sterling of these imports and exports.
§ Mr. StracheyImports of cheese from the U.S.A. in the six months ended September amounted to 9,262 tons valued at about £2,900,000. No cheese was exported from this country to the U.S.A. during that period. But we do hope to export a few tons of our very special English cheese, such as Stilton, in order to earn dollars. In general we intend to continue the policy of exporting luxuries in order to pay for necessities.
§ Mr. TaylorIs the right hon. Gentleman absolutely convinced that we cannot get this cheese, which we have been importing from the United States, from Empire sources?
§ Mr. StracheyYes, Sir, naturally we should buy cheese or anything else from sterling sources before we went to a dollar source. The Chancellor of the Exchequer would ensure that.