§ Sir J. JARDINEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether it has been brought to his notice that, owing to the difficulty of procuring such food as bran, ureco, randans, and crammings, many rearers of poultry, often of fine breeds, may be forced to kill their stocks; and what action he proposes to take to enable them to buy these foods?
§ Mr. CLYNESI can add nothing to the answer given last Monday to the hon. Member for Woolwich, except to say that every possible effort will be made to help.
§ Mr. MARRIOTTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether poultry owners have been warned that they will be required forthwith: to kill off a large proportion of their present stock; and, if so, whether, in view of the fact that March, April, and May are the most productive and least expensive months in the year for the poultry owner, the issue of any Order, if contemplated, will be postponed?
§ Sir R. WINFREYNo such warning has been issued or is in contemplation. The Board have informed poultry keepers of the shortage of feeding-stuffs and of the small allowance of controlled feeding-stuffs which they can be allowed to buy. It is for the poultry keepers to determine how many birds they can keep and rear, having in view both the limited amount of food they can buy and what they can produce or obtain from other sources.
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§ Mr. LOUGHasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, as the prices at which tea is to be distributed have been published, whether he can now say at what price the Government have bought the tea in India and Ceylon: what freight is paid upon it; and whether the complete terms precisely fulfil the promise made to the House and the country on behalf of the Government that the arrangements guarantee that the sales shall be at cost price?
§ Mr. CLYNESThe price at which the Government has bought tea in India and Ceylon is the average pre-war price subject to certain adjustments necessitated by the changed conditions. The freight paid on growers' tea to the 31st December, 1917, was at the rate of 300s. per ton of 50 cubic feet; since that date the rate has been 125s. per ton of 40 cubic feet. With the latter rate of freight the arrangements of the Ministry or Food allow a margin of ¼d. per lb. for contingencies. This margin has hitherto been absorbed, and will for some time continue to be absorbed by the higher rate of freight charged to the 31st December, 1917. Subject to this qualification, sales are at cost price.
§ Mr. LOUGHasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the conditions just published under which tea is to be distributed contains a complete statement of the arrangements or if further allowances, drawbacks, or abatements in price have been conceded to particular firms, societies, or classes engaged in the trade; and, if so, what these are and why have they been kept secret?
§ Mr. CLYNESThe only allowance not included in the conditions already circulated to the wholesale trade is a proposed allowance in respect of van delivery to retailers' shops in certain cases. The nature of this allowance is still under discussion.
§ Sir B. FALLEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he will state the authority under which tea is brought within the authority of the Food Controller, and if tea is to be regarded as food; and if China tea bought in 1916 can be regarded as the subject of hoarding coming under the Food Hoarding Order, 1917, or other Order?
§ Mr. CLYNESTea, is brought within the powers of the Food Controller under928W Defence of the Realm Regulations 2 F to 2 J. In. the view of the Food Controller, tea is to be regarded as an article of food. With respect to the last part of the question, goods bought before the 9th April, 1917, are excluded from the provisions of the Food Hoarding Order, 1917, so long as further supplies of the same article were not acquired after that date, so as to render the amount held excessive.