§ Mr. FIELDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, in view of reduced milk supplies in Dublin city and suburbs, any arrangements have been or are in progress to enable the production of a normal quantity; whether he is aware that restrictions on brewing and distilling have seriously interfered with the output of grains and limited the feeding of dairying cows; and whether the Government will reconsider this aspect of the case, so as to provide milk epecially for the children in the capital and its surrounding districts?
§ Mr. DUKEThe Food Controller is dealing with the question of the production and sale of milk in Ireland in consultation with the Irish Food Control Committee, and I am informed that Regulations as to control of supplies, distribution, prices and other matters will be issued forthwith. The shortage of brewers' and distillers' grains will be taken into consideration in fixing the schedule of prices. The question whether means can be found to augment the present supplies of grains is engaging the attention of the Food Controller. In the meantime the brewers and distillers are, I believe, reserving their supplies as far as possible for dairy purposes and selling at what are practically pre-war prices. As to the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the concluding portion of an answer I gave to a question by the hon. Member for the Harbour Division of Dublin on the 1st November.