§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what are the infant foods referred to in the confidential instruction, C.M.C. 179, for which plain flour of 75 per cent. extraction, deprived of the germ, is still to be supplied; for what other purposes this flour is to be provided; to what firms; and what proportions these supplies bear to the whole output controlled by the Ministry?
§ Mr. MabanePending the results of research work which has been undertaken by the Food Rationing (Special Diets) Advisory Committee, all infant foods are permitted to include white flour. Certain service requirements for which national flour would not be suitable are also met with white flour. The tonnage concerned in these special arrangements is small and represents less than 2 per cent. of the total flour output.
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§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, what are the medical products for which controlled millers are authorised by the Confidential Instruction C.M.C. 191 to supply the wheat germ which the Statutory Order 451 directed should be provided in the national bread; which of these medical products are proprietary articles; what proportion of the whole yield of flour controlled by the Ministry is supplied for speciality flours; and what firms are in receipt of these supplies?
§ Mr. MabaneThe medical products referred to are those approved by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health. They are I understand proprietary articles. The wheat germ supplied for these purposes is not at the expense of national bread, which contains the full amount provided for in the Order to which my hon. Friend refers. Speciality flours include self-raising flours and are probably equal to approximately 10 per cent. of the total flour output. Practically all distributors of flour and bakery products handle speciality flours.
§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, what arrangements are made for testing at the time of milling; and whether, in view of the examples revealed by the public analyst employed by the Lambeth Borough Council, that some of the bread and flour sold does not accord with the regulations, he will institute a permanent and independent inquiry at the source of production of the flour before distribution to the bakers or to the public?
§ Mr. MabaneIn the opinion of my Noble Friend the existing arrangements for the testing of national flour and bread are adequate. He is not prepared to institute the inquiry suggested.