§ Mr. T. TAYLORasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food regarding the Order made last week forbidding the sale of tea-cakes and permitting the sale of buns, if he is aware that in many cases the two articles are in substance the same and in other cases the teacake is plainer food than the bun; that in Yorkshire and Lancashire mill-workers largely use the plain teacake as a convenient form of bread to be consumed at the meals which they carry with them to eat during the day when living far from their work; and whether he will at once cancel the prohibition of the sale of plain tea-cakes?
Captain BATHURSTThe proportions of flour and sugar permitted in the manufacture of buns are clearly defined in Article 3 of the Cake and Pastry Order, 1917. A plain teacake such as the hon. Member mentions would appear to conform to the conditions prescribed for the making of buns, and its manufacture would, therefore, be unobjectionable. The word "teacake" as used in Article 1 of the Order is then coupled with fancy bread, and the prohibition was intended to apply to fancy teacakes, and not to articles in the nature of buns, by whatever name they are called.
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Mr. CATHCART WASONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he will take into consideration the advisability of prohibiting the sale of all bread, cakes, etc., between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., bearing in mind the fact that the tea restaurants could still remain open and that ladies entertaining friends or soldiers could take cakes, etc., for them?
Captain BATHURSTThe Food Controller is of opinion that the entire prohibition at present of the consumption of breadstuffs at afternoon tea would cause hardship to those who have become accustomed to take refreshment at this time of the day or who have been unable to take a meal at midday. Nor would such prohibition effect much economy, as all except the cheapest places of refreshment are now rationed as to the quantity of breadstuffs consumed on their premises.