HC Deb 23 July 1952 vol 504 cc517-8
28. Mr. Nabarro

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what preference is given to home-grown fruit and British-manufactured fruit preserves when victualling Her Majesty's ships.

Mr. J. P. L. Thomas

Fresh fruits are obtained by Her Majesty's ships as required and available locally. Some supplies of tinned fruits and jams, particularly on stations abroad, are necessarily obtained from Commonwealth or foreign sources, but the greater proportion consists of items of British produce.

Mr. Nabarro

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind, in regard to the victualling of ships serving in home waters, that in Herefordshire and Worcestershire particularly we have the largest fruit crop in living memory? Might it not be a good thing if the Royal Navy were given an opportunity to take advantage of these luscious fruits?

Mr. Thomas

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that I am well aware of the fruit crop in Herefordshire during the present season. On the other hand, I am broad-minded enough to bear in mind the needs of all the fruit-growing areas.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that in this context "fruit" means plums, and will he give an assurance that the Royal Navy will not be inundated with plums to the point of nausea, which is what happened in the First World War regarding all branches of the Services?

Mr. Patrick Maitland

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind also the particular advantage of the Victoria plums grown in the Clyde Valley?