§ 2.53 p.m.
§ LORD LLEWELLINMy Lords, I beg to ask the question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish in this country any figures supplied by them to the International Emergency Food Council or to the Food Administration of the United States of America showing the precise food consumption level in this country.]
§ LORD HENDERSONDetails of food consumption in the United Kingdom prewar, and in each of the years 1940 to a945, were published in the Third Report on Food Consumption Levels in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. We shall in due course publish the corresponding details for 1946. No details of food consumption, other than those given in the Consumption Levels Reports are supplied to the International Emergency Food Council or to the Food Administration of the United States of America.
§ LORD LLEWELLINCould the noble Lord tell me, first of all, how soon we can get the figures for the 1946 level? Secondly, I must press him as to whether he really means that oar Minister of Food and his officials over in the United States do not use the figures: 'or the present food consumption level in this country when they are asking the international organization for extra supplies.
§ LORD HENDERSONAs regards the first part of the supplementary question, it is expected that the figures will be published in the course of a few weeks—probably, I think, within the next two months. As to the second part of the question, I think the answer has been given in the 807 reply I have already made to the noble Lord. No figures are used except those which appear in the food consumption levels reports. Presumably those are the figures which the noble Lord wishes to have, and those are the figures which will be published in a short while.
§ LORD CHERWELLIn his discussions with the authorities in the United States, has the Minister called their attention to the fact that the other day in another place the Under-Secretary mentioned that the calorific value of our rations is 1,400 calories, and that the extra calories obtained on points amount to only 200?
§ LORD HENDERSONI am afraid I have no information about what the Minister stated in his discussions in America on the particular point to which the noble Lord draws attention.
§ LORD CHERWELLDoes the noble Lord not think it might help us to secure more rations if those points were brought to the attention of the Americans?
§ LORD HENDERSONMy reply was that I was not aware what information the Minister had used in his discussions on the particular point raised by the noble Lord.