§ 53. Brigadier Medlicottasked the Minister of Food whether he will reconsider his decision and grant a further allocation of sugar to housewives for jam making in view of the size of the fruit crop.
§ Dr. SummerskillNo, Sir. I cannot add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, to my hon. Friend the Member for Accrington (Mr. Scott-Elliot) on 16th May.
§ Brigadier MedlicottIs the right hon. Lady aware that her answer will be received with a good deal of disappointment by housewives, especially in country districts?
§ Dr. SummerskillI would remind the hon. and gallant Gentleman that housewives are being given 7 lbs. of sugar this year as compared with 5 lbs. last year.
§ Brigadier MedlicottGiven?
§ Dr. SummerskillI cannot allow any more.
§ Colonel Gomme-DuncanWill the right hon. Lady not realise that women in country districts who have their own fruit, of whom there are a great number, and who could contribute very largely to our food supplies, are drawing less sugar than they did before the increase mentioned by the right hon. Lady was given to them, because they are not allowed to exchange jam for sugar?
§ Mrs. CastleAs long as the housewives' domestic need for sugar cannot be met fully, will my right hon. Friend assure the House that she will not divert supplies to sweet manufacturers to prop up the derationing experiment?
§ Dr. SummerskillMy hon. Friend knows that we are trying to allocate sugar as fairly as possible between manufacturers and the home consumer.