HC Deb 26 February 1951 vol 484 cc1731-2
24. Mr. Keeling

asked the Minister of Food if he will again consider whether, in the interests of fruit-bottling and jam-making, sweets coupons can be made alternatively available for the average amount of sugar in the sweet ration; and, should this be impossible, if he will explain why.

Mr. Webb

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Llewellyn), on 19th February. Knowing the attractiveness of this idea, I have examined it most carefully. But there are very many complications, and I am satisfied that the amount of work a scheme for exchanging sweets coupons for sugar would involve both for manufacturers and traders, and for my own Department would be out of all proportion to the benefits. Sugar is not the only ingredient in sweets, and I think people over-estimate the amount of sugar they could hope for under an arrangement of this sort.

Mr. Keeling

Is the Minister aware that I am not asking him to increase the total issue of sugar but only to reduce the issue for factory-made jam in order to increase the amount available for homemade jam, which most people prefer, if only because it has more fruit? Ought not the system of State distribution to be sufficiently flexible to make this possible?

Mr. Webb

I think that on the whole it is as flexible as we can make it. There is a good deal in the hon. Gentleman's suggestion, but we have to balance the two considerations. There are many people who have no facilities for making their own jam, and they want to buy it in the shops. We have to try to arrive at a distribution between the manufacturers and the home which is fair. On the whole, I think that our present allocation of sugar both for these purposes and for sweets is fair and reasonable.

Mr. Somerville Hastings

Does not my right hon. Friend consider it a pity to encourage mothers to rob their children of sweets?

Sir H. Williams

What does the right hon. Gentleman mean by saying that people have not the facilities for making jam at home? Surely, if they have a saucepan and a gas ring they can make jam. I suppose it is because there is no gas.

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