§ LORD HINDLIP (on behalf of LORD LAMINGTON) rose to ask His Majesty's Government for a comparative Return of the amounts of foodstuffs consumed in the 800 United Kingdom for the first six months of each year from 1914 to 1918 inclusive.
§ The noble Lord said: My Lords, my noble friend has asked me to put this Question for him. I am afraid I know very little about it, but I gather that my noble friend wishes to learn what has been found to be the effect of the various Regulations, and whether there has been a reduction in the amount of food consumed in the years 1914 to 1918.
THE EARL OF CRAWFORDMy Lords, I had hoped that my noble friend Lord Lamington would have given me some reason why he asked for a Return which would cause an immense amount of trouble and labour to compile. He asks for the estimated consumption of all foodstuffs, home grown as well as imported, consumed in the United Kingdom for the first six months of each of the last five years. There are no official returns on that subject. It involves an analysis of the Customs figures for five successive half years, which have to be compiled themselves by taking out the first six months in each of the five years. You have to make estimates of consumption, taking into account home production, which in 1914 was not very clearly assessed; you have to make allowances for the amount caried into the half year and the amount carried over from the half year; elaborate allowances have to be made for imports and re-exports; and this has all got to be done on a monthly basis. Even if the figures existed I should have to ask that they should be treated as confidential, because, for very good reasons, it has been decided that we do not reveal to the enemy the amounts of foodstuffs which pass through our Customs. I should, therefore, desire my noble friend, if he will be so good as to do so, to convey to Lord Lamington that I am reluctant to place very heavy and severe duties upon the Statistical Department of the Board of Trade unless there is very good cause shown. I do not think it would help him, because it would show a marked diminution in certain articles of consumption and a marked increase in others, and it would bear no relation to any argument upon which any constructive policy or criticism could be based.
§ LORD HINDLIPIf I may be allowed to say so, the noble Earl has my entire sympathy. I will convey to my noble friend what he has said.