§ Major Thornton-Kemsleyasked the Minister of Agriculture (1) whether he is aware that honey jars and manufactured appliances for honey extraction are almost impossible to obtain and that wood-pulp may no longer be released for making honey cartons; and whether he will rescind the recent Order that sections may only be supplied for use in the production of heather honey;
(2) whether he intends to eliminate the producer of clover honey; and, if not, how he would recommend bee-keepers who do not possess extractors, and who cannot obtain jars, to preserve and market their honey in view of the Order that honey sections may only be supplied in future for heather honey?
Mr. HudsonI am aware that there is a shortage of glass preserving jars and that substitutes cannot always be readily obtained but limited quantities of wood-pulp are still being released for the manufacture of honey cartons. I understand from my Noble Friend the Minister of Food that there is scope for greater cooperation with the traders in the use of returnable jars and the supply of honey in bulk. As regards honey extractors, materials are being released for the manufacture of these appliances, but where demand for new appliances cannot be met I suggest that the difficulty might be largely overcome by the co-operative use of extractors by members of bee-keeping associations. There has been no Order prohibiting the sale of honey sections to producers of clover honey, but I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to a decision of my Department to release timber for the manufacture of sections on the1270W understanding that they would be supplied only to makers of heather honey. I am advised that the use of sections in the production of clover honey is extravagant, and I cannot see my way to rescind the decision referred to.