Butter and Cheese Rations (Increase) (Hansard, 12 November 1952)

§ Major Lloyd George

As the House will know the policy of Her Majesty's Government is to maintain the domestic rations at the highest possible level throughout the year instead of holding back supplies for a special bonus at Christmas.

I am going to increase the butter ration from 2 oz. to 3 oz. from 30th November and the cheese ration from 1 oz. to 1½ oz. from 25th January.

When the butter ration is increased the margarine ration will revert to 4 oz., since we cannot afford the additional supplies, as they would involve extra expenditure of scarce currency.

Tea will be freely available off the ration this Christmas for the first time for 12 years, and there will be plenty of unrationed ham at prices well below those recently charged for canned ham.

Supplies of dried fruit and canned fruit are the best for several years and I am glad to say that this will be the best year since the war for poultry—especially turkeys—with prices which should be a bit lower than last year.