§ 9. Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Food if he is aware of the difficulty of obtaining tinned salmon; if he will account for the shortage; and what prospect there is of better supplies in the next few months.
§ The Minister of Food (Major Lloyd George)The quantities which we can import are determined entirely by balance of payments considerations and I am unable to hold out hope of an early improvement.
§ Mr. DoddsDoes not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman appreciate the disappointment that his statement will give? If a greater variety of food is to be available, salmon is a most important factor. Does he not realise that he would be blessed by the housewives if he could pull a little more out of the bag?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeWe have been pulling things out of the bag for a long time. One of the difficulties is that the only sources of salmon supplies are in difficult currency areas. As soon as the currency position improves we shall be able to improve the supplies.
§ Dr. StrossCan the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say how much tinned salmon comes from the Soviet Union, and whether the amount from that source can be increased?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeBefore the war about 15,000 tons came from the Soviet Union. As the hon. Gentleman knows, we now have an agreement with the Soviet Union by which we send them herring in return for canned salmon.