§ LORD DE L'ISLE AND DUDLEYMy 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 such annexures to the United Kingdom-Canada Wheat Agreement under Article 5, of that Agreement as specify the agreed monthly deliveries referred to by the Leader of the House on May 8, 1947. (Hansard, Vol. 146, No. 67, Col. 557.)]
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DOMINION AFFAIRS (VISCOUNT ADDISON)My Lords, there are no such annexures, but there have been discussions. The relevant provisions of the United Kingdom-Canada Wheat Agreement, a copy of which I am sending to the noble Lord, bearing on this question, are contained in Article 1 (d), which provides that the rate and place of the deliveries of wheat and flour shall be determined from time to time by mutual agreement. The rate of delivery of flour is governed by the production position of the Canadian mills, and the proportion they can make available for export during each month. I am sure the noble Lord will be glad to know that the quantity made available to date has been up to expectations, and I may tell him that the delivery expected for the present month of May is 350,000 tons. We anticipate that that will be made good, if not exceeded.
§ LORD DE L'ISLE AND DUDLEYWhile thanking the noble Viscount for his answer, may I remind him of the reply he gave to my noble friend Lord Woolton during the recent debate on food? The noble Lord, Lord Woolton, asked him whether the Government fixed the terms of contract and whether they were going to get so much month by month, because what was wanted was wheat—not price. The noble Viscount replied, "Of course it was, and we are getting it."
§ VISCOUNT ADDISONCertainly, that is what I said in my answer—that the amount per month is determined when we get the position decided at the beginning of the year. That is exactly what is happening.