§ Mr. E. STRAUSSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that, previous to the Order prohibiting the export of tea, certain exporters of tea who had orders packed in small packets and tins for shipment to foreign markets (Allies and neutrals), the cost of packing having been incurred and foreign labels and foreign printing matter employed, making such goods useless for this market, have not been, and are not to-day, allowed by the Food Controller to ship the goods, although it is believed that the War Trade Department is quite willing that such shipment should be made; whether the Food Controller is aware that if these goods are not allowed to be shipped the value locked up cannot be returned to this country; and whether, under the circumstances, he, in conjunction with the War Trade Department and his Majesty's Customs, will allow the houses who have made application to the War Trade Department to ship the goods which they have already packed, and which were packed previously to the prohibition Order being made?
Captain BATHURSTI have no doubt that the prohibition of export in the case of tea, as in the case of many other commodities, affects goods which had to a greater or less extent been prepared for export before the prohibition was imposed. It cannot, however, be suggested that the packing and labelling of tea for foreign markets makes it unfit for consumption at home, and, in the circumstances, having regard to the very short supplies of tea, the Food Controller is not prepared to recommend the issue of 35W licences for export in the cases indicated in the question.