§ Mr. MOLESasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that farmers, during the food-stringency period of the War, were required to largely increase the acreage under oats; whether oatmeal millers were also asked to correspondingly increase their milling capacity; whether, owing to the increased price of oats, wages, etc., Irish millers are unable to market oatmeal at less than £32 per ton ex mill, while American meal is being freely offered at £2 per ton less; and what action it is proposed to take to protect the interests of Irish farmers, millers, and workers from such competition, which must result in the closing down of mills, with resultant unemployment and loss of a very large quantity of oats?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI believe that the answers to the first two parts of my hon. Friend's question are in the affirmative. As regards the third part of the question, I have no information as to the facts referred to by my hon. Friend, but if he will send me any particulars that may be in his possession, I shall be glad to consider them. I may say, however, that His Majesty s Government have no present intention of taking any action which will tend to restrict the importation into the United Kingdom of cheap food and feeding-stuffs.
§ Captain REDMONDasked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that Irish oatmeal can be quoted, with a slight margin of profit, at £33 per ton ex mill, whereas American meal is being freely offered in this country at from £2 to £3 under this figure, and if this state of things is allowed to continue it will mean the closing down of a large number of Irish 1645W mills; and what steps, if any, he intends to take to enable the producers of Irish meal to compete with the cheap American imports?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my reply to a similar question asked to-day by the hon. Member for Ormeau.