§ 24. Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for War the price at which Libby's tinned milk is sold in the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes' stores in the Ruhr.
§ Mr. JannerIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in England the price is 1s. 5d. and the price in the ordinary shop in Germany is less than that amount? Can he explain why a Service man in Germany has to pay more at the N.A.A.F.I. stores than he would pay for the same commodity at an ordinary store in England or in Germany?
§ Mr. HeadI understand that the extra 2d. is for freight, insurance and handling costs from this country to Germany. The local product in Germany, I am informed, has a much lower fat content than that manufactured in this country and is less satisfactory.
§ 25. Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that tea and coffee are rationed to Service men and their wives in the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes' stores in Germany; and if he will give his reasons for such rationing.
§ Mr. HeadThe Commander-in-Chief, in his routine orders, has limited the weekly sales of tea and coffee to reasonable amounts because the Forces, having imported these articles into Germany free of duty, are under obligation to prevent their misuse by sale or barter.
§ Mr. JannerIs the Minister aware that there is an ample supply in Germany of all these commodities outside the amount allowed to Service men and that there is no question of a black market in regard to this now? Why on earth should he allow one tin of Nescafe only to a Service man's family and ration tea and coffee when there is an ample supply in Germany? The Service men are very seriously concerned about this matter.
§ Mr. HeadMay I point out to the hon. Member that the N.A.A.F.I. price of coffee is 7s. per lb. and the local price in Germany is 20s.? That is the situation. If I allowed unlimited supplies of coffee to go it would be asking a lot of housewives and others not to sell it to the Germans.