§ 26. Mr. Keelingasked the Minister of Food if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement showing what percentage of our imports of meat, bacon, butter, cheese and eggs came from foreign countries in 1948 and 1949, respectively.
§ Mr. KeelingCould the right hon. Gentleman say now whether the figures show that there was an increase in the proportion imported from foreign countries, and if so, can he explain why?
§ Mr. WebbThere was a slight increase, but the figures are so complicated that I would rather await examination of them, when possibly the hon. Gentleman will put down a further Question?
§ Following is the statement:
§ The amount of meat, bacon, butter, cheese and eggs imported into the United Kingdom from foreign countries as a proportion of the total imports of those foods for the years 1948 and 1949 respectively were:
| — | 1948 | 1949 |
| per cent. | per cent. | |
| Meat of all kinds (excluding bacon and ham but including the car-case weight equivalent of imported fat cattle) | 38 | 43 |
| Bacon and ham (including canned) | 31 | 80 |
| Butter | 23 | 35 |
| Cheese | 24 | 36 |
| Eggs in shell | 45 | 60 |