§ 46. Mr. Bossomasked the Prime Minister if he will instruct the Minister of Food to provide sufficient sugar, and the Minister of Supply sufficient tin, well in advance, so that our farmers can be assured this year of their crops of fruit and vegetables being tinned at home, and so that the necessity of purchasing canned fruit and vegetables from other countries will to a much larger extent be avoided.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. Tinplate is extremely scarce, and I cannot hold out any hope of a further increase beyond that recently agreed with the canning industry. As to sugar, I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Food on 13th March to the hon. and gallant Member for Norfolk, Central (Brigadier Medlicott) and on 20th March to the hon. Member for Worcestershire, South (Mr. De la Bére).
§ Mr. BossomDoes not the Prime Minister realise that quite a number of British farmers are having to waste the food they grow while we are buying similar food, often with dollars, from other countries, and that if they had a little more tin and sugar we could use the food which we grow on our own soil?
§ The Prime MinisterThe production of tinned fruit in Great Britain in 1946 was 21,000 tons; in 1947, 43,000 tons; in 1948, 56,000 tons; and in 1949, 75,000 tons. The hon. Gentleman can be assured that we are all in accord with his views.
§ Mr. BossomDoes the Prime Minister not know that they use every bit of tin that they are allowed, and that they cannot produce any more tinned fruit because no more tin is allowed to them?
§ The Prime MinisterOne has to have regard to the seasonal production of fruit, too.
§ Mr. MaclayIs the Prime Minister satisfied that tinplate is not being exported to the Continent and returned to this country in the form of tinned fruit, because if that were the case the tin would be much more valuable if it were kept here and issued to our own people?
§ The Prime MinisterIf the hon. Gentleman has any evidence of that, perhaps he will put down a Question.