§ Sir E. HUME-WILLIAMSasked the Secretary of State for War whether the rations of the Army comprise both foreign, Dominion, and English meat, and bread made from foreign flour; if that is the case, what are the proportions used of each; and whether he will consider the propriety, in the interests of English agriculture, of providing that for at least three days in every week all rations supplied to the troops shall be of purely English origin?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSPractically all ration meat is frozen and of Dominion origin. Headquarter contracts for flour contain the stipulation that the flour shall be home-milled. From information obtained from the millers, it is clear that a proportion of English wheat is used in its manufacture; the specification lays down no limit to the proportion which may be used, so long as the flour meets War Department requirements, but the quantity which can be used in producing satisfactory flour must necessarily vary according to the time of the year and the quality of the wheat. In the case of bread, the Department purchases to a general trade standard, and it is not considered practicable to make any stipulation as regards milling. As regards the last part of the question, the cost of supplying English meat on three days a week would be prohibitive; while in the case of flour and bread it is impracticable to stipulate for supplies of purely English origin.