§ 26. Colonel Ralph Clarkeasked the Minister of Food if he will consider stopping the bulk purchase of dried fruit from Greece, in view of the failure of the central currant office to prevent it arriving in a dirty and damaged condition.
§ The Minister of Food (Major Gwilym Lloyd George)I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. S. Marshall) on Monday, 21st April.
§ Colonel ClarkeDoes my right hon. and gallant Friend appreciate that I am aware of those answers and have studied them, but that my Question is from a somewhat different angle? Is he not aware that bulk buying in itself results in damage through too great storing of fruit 1009 in make-shift sheds and, further, that dirt and dust from Mediterranean countries—as any soldier will testify—is neither pleasant nor healthy in food?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI agree with the latter part of my hon. and gallant Friend's question; but last year was a particularly bad one from the point of view of the Greek harvest. Much of the fruit was in a deteriorating and damaged condition. Claims have been lodged by my Ministry to obtain redress; but the trouble was due to a particularly bad harvest and the great amount of rain which interfered very much with the crops.