50. Brigadier Clarkeasked the Minister of Agriculture why he ordered that alt butter had to be marked with the country of origin; and what consideration made him cancel the order.
§ Mr. ChampionThe Order in Council providing for the marking of butter was 2489 made in 1932 under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1926. It was suspended during the war and the suspension will continue until May, 1952. If difficulties connected with printing and supplies of wrapping paper had not occurred, the Order would have come into force again in May this year.
Brigadier ClarkeDoes the hon. Gentleman realise that recently grocers and butter salesmen were told to mark their wrappings with the country of origin, but that no sooner had the order gone out than it was cancelled? A number of firms were put to great expense. What happened before the war has nothing to do with what happens now, because before the war we could buy buttter from any country we liked.
§ Mr. ChampionI have no information about instructions having been issued. If the hon. and gallant Gentleman will send me particulars I will look into the matter.