Mr. DUNDAS WHITEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the Order of the Board of Trade prohibiting the use of wheat in the manufacture of beer and similar liquors, he will extend this prohibition so as to prohibit the use of any grain or other foodstuff in the manufacture of any intoxicating liquor?
§ Mr. PRETYMANI am not in a position at present to make a statement in regard to the point raised in the hon. Member's question.
Mr. WHITEasked what has been the estimated average weekly consumption of grain in the United Kingdom during the present month; and what proportion of this amount is estimated to have been consumed in the manufacture of intoxicating liquors?
§ Mr. PRETYMANI regret that I am unable to give an estimate of the weekly consumption of grain during the present month. On the general question of the consumption of grain in the manufacture of intoxicating liquors, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I returned to a question put by him on the 21st of the present month.
Mr. WHITEasked what are the estimated quantities of the different kinds of grain now being consumed per week in the United Kingdom in the manufacture of alcoholic liquors; what is the correspond- 362W ing quantity of sugar consumed in that manufacture; and what is the estimated tonnage required for the sea carriage of those quantities of grain and sugar, respectively?
§ Mr. PRETYMANThe most recent particulars respecting the quantities of materials used in brewing and distilling relate to the twelve months ended 30th September, 1916, in which year grain and sugar were used for the purposes to the following extent:
Tons. Barley 1,224,200 Other Corn and Grain 305,176 Rice, Rice Grits, Flaked Rice, Maize Grits, Flaked Maize and other similar preparations 67,578 Sugar 119,999 Molasses 41,115 Total weight 1,758,068 My hon. Friend will, of course, be aware that a substantial proportion of the grain above included was home-grown. It can, however, no doubt be argued that if home-grown grain was not used for these purposes the necessity for importing grain for other purposes would pro tanto be reduced, and that therefore the whole weight of grain and sugar used in brewing and distilling may be regarded as a drain on the tonnage space available for the importation of foodstuffs. On this assumption it may be estimated that this particular use of materials called, in the period stated, for the employment of tonnage sufficient to carry about 2,400,000 measurement tons of 40 cubic feet, i.e., approximately 1,000,000 tons net register of shipping. The restrictions on brewing and distilling at present in operation were not, however, in force during the first part of the period to which the above figures relate, and it is estimated that the shipping required to carry the articles used in a year would in consequence of the restriction be reduced to about 800,000 net register tons.