§ 32. Mr. Turtonasked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he takes to ensure that tobacco leaf imported from the United States of America has not in the course of production been subjected to noxious chemical sprays.
§ Mr. DarlingNone, Sir. I am satisfied that the control exercised by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, together with the vigilance of the representatives in America of the British tobacco manufacturers, affords a sufficient safeguard to consumers in this country.
§ Mr. TurtonDoes the right hon. Gentleman recollect that when we were im- 2106 porting tobacco from Rhodesia we got an assurance that that tobacco leaf had not been subjected to noxious sprays? Cannot we ask our American friends for a similar assurance?
§ Mr. DarlingI understand that the sprays to which, I think, the right hon. Gentleman refers tend to lower the value of the leaf to the manufacturer rather than to contaminate it. But these matters are always under supervision, and we are satisfied, for the reasons which I gave, that there is no detriment to the British consumer.