§ Captain CAZALETasked the Minister of Agriculture what is the latest figure showing the total imports of wheat into this country; and what percentage of the whole imports of wheat comes in in the form of flour?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe following table shows the quantities of wheat and of wheat meal and flour imported into the United Kingdom in the 10 months ended 31et October, 1927, and the proportion which the imports of wheat meal and flour bear to the total imports of wheat:
January to October, 1927. Tons. Total imports of wheat meal and flour 454,192 Total imports of wheat (grain) 4,659,936 Approximate grain equivalent of imports: (a) of meal and flour 630,800 (b) of meal, flour and grain 5,290,700 Proportion per cent. of (a) to (b) 11.9 The grain equivalent of imported meal and flour has been estimated on the basis of an extraction of 72 per cent. flour and 28 per cent. offals.
For corresponding particulars relating to the complete years 1924, 1925 and 1926, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given on 5th December to the hon. Member for the Southern Division of Norfolk.
1587W
§ Captain CAZALETasked the Minister of Agriculture what is the total amount of offals of which this country is deprived by the importation of flour; and whether there are any figures showing the quantity of offals exported from this country and the average price at which it is sold?
Mr. GUINNESSFor the three years 1924–1926 the average net imports (imports less re-exports) of flour have been 495,000 tons. On the assumption that the foreign flour has been milled at an extraction of 72 per cent., the average for the three years in question of the offals retained abroad from the flour imported into the United Kingdom is 192,500 tons. The average annual import of offals in the same period was 205,000 tons. The exports of wheat offals and the average declared value per ton of such exports since 1924 have been as follow:
— Quantity. Declared value. Average declared value per ton. tons. £ £ s. d. 1924 69,336 580,676 8 7 0 1925 66,476 533,458 8 0 0 1926 60,256 407,694 6 15 0 1927 (to 31st Oct.) 52,392 414,796 7 18 0
MINIMUM RATES OF WAGES for Ordinary* Male Workers of 21 Years of Age and over and for Female Workers of 18 Years of Age and over in each Area in England and Wales in force on 1st December, 1927. Area. Male Workers. Female Workers. Minimum Weekly Wage. Hours in respect of Minimum which Minimum Weekly Wage is payable. Minimum Rate. In summer. In Winter. In Summer. In Winter. Per hour. s. d. s. d. d. Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire. 30 6 30 6 50 48 6 Berkshire 30 0 30 0 50 50 5† Buckinghamshire 31 0 31 0 50 48 6 Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely 30 0 30 0 50 48 5½ Cheshire 35 0 35 0 54 54 6 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 31 0 31 0 51 51 5‡ Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness District of Lancashire. 32 6 31 0 54 48 5½ Derbyshire 8d. per hour 8d. per hour 54 54 5 Devonshire 32 6 32 6 52 50 5‡ Dorsetshire 30 0 30 0 51 48 5