§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if he will state whether a considerable quantity of butter is imported into England from Ireland; will he see-that steps are taken to increase the output of butter in that country; will he say if his Department advised or approved of a recently proposed economy calculated to greatly reduce the supply of Irish butter; what is the amount of the economy proposed to be effected in cash; and will he now insist, in the interest of the British-consumer, on all necessary steps being taken to increase the Irish butter supply.
§ Mr. ACLANDThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, 725,368 cwts. of butter, valued at £3,735,645, having been exported from Ireland mainly to Great Britain in 1913, the latest year for which figures are available. The rest of the hon. Member's question would appear to concern the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland, but I understand that the development of the food supply in Ireland, including butter, is at present the subject of inquiry by a Departmental Committee, which it is hoped will be able to report at an early date. If, however, the hon. Member will inform me of the economy which he has in mind, I could inform him whether the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries gave any advice in regard to it.