Mr. BARNESasked the Minister of Food if his attention has been drawn to the statement issued by certain margarine 1941W manufacturers that, as butter is controlled by the Government, they cannot be responsible for the quality of the butter supplied by them; and if he will say in what way the Government control affects the quality of the butter so supplied?
§ Mr. McCURDYI have not seen the particular statement to which my right hon. Friend refers. The butter supplies imported by the Ministry of Food are of various grades, but include the normal percentage of first-grade butter. Under the Ministry's system of distribution, a trader is not allowed to take the whole of his supply in best quality butter, but is required to taken an equitable proportion of the various qualities. All issues for table purposes are accompanied by a guarantee that the butter is pure butter, and that it satisfies the requirements of the Food and Drugs Acts.