§ 4. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further regulations on the composition of flour and bread have been recommended by the Food Standards Committee.
Mr. AmoryThe Committee has only within the last few days received written observations from interested parties and has yet to take oral evidence. It will, therefore, be some time before it is able to make recommendations to me.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this delay may be a rather serious matter, and that adulterated bread at a dearer cost is being sold to housewives who have not the slightest idea of the extent to which the quality of flour has been reduced?
Mr. AmoryAs regards the second part of the supplementary question, I cannot agree that the quality of bread has been reduced. I believe that the average quality of bread today is more wholesome than it was at the time of the recent change in the extraction rate. As regards the time factor, I am sure that the hon. and gallant Gentleman will agree with me that the Food Standards Committee is a responsible and authoritative committee and it would not be appropriate or right for me to interfere with it in the way in which it carries out its inquiries.
§ Mr. HastingsIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that many, if not most, of those who know most about the food value of bread will not agree with him that the quality has been increased recently? They much regret that the old standards have not been maintained. Will he look at the leading articles which appeared in the Lancet and the British Medical Journal and other important papers at the time when the change was made?
Mr. AmoryThe point I had particularly in mind was that I believe that today flour contains the three essential nutrients of vitamin B 1, nicotinic acid and iron probably to a greater extent than before the recent change.