HL Deb 18 March 1947 vol 146 c400
EARL HOWE

My Lords, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government the question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

[The question was as follows:

To ask His Majesty's Government, what were the circumstances which necessitated the expenditure of £47,935 from the American Loan on chewing gum?]

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA AND BURMA (LORD PETHICKLAWRENCE)

My Lords, there is some misunderstanding here. His Majesty's Government have not sanctioned any expenditure on chewing gum.

EARL HOWE

May we take it that the reports published in Washington were quite incorrect, and that no money whatever has been spent out of the American Loan on such a commodity as chewing gum?

LORD PETHICK-LAWRENCE

So far as I know, no money has been spent on it at all.