§ Commander BELLAIRSasked the Minister of Agriculture the average quantities of wheat imported and flour, imported for the five years ending 1913, and for the five years ending 1925, inclusive; and, if the figures are available, the average quantity of flour milled in this country for each of the two periods?
Mr. GUINNESS:The average quantities of wheat and flour imported annually into the United Kingdom in the five years ending 1913 and in the five years ending 1925 were as follow:
— Wheat Meal and Flour. Cwts. Cwts. Average 1909–13 … 103,319,098 10,649,158 Average 1921–25 … 98,495,844 12,240,392 No data are available of the quantity of flour produced in this country, but It may be estimated that the annual average in the two periods, assuming a rate of extraction of 72 per cent. was, approximately, 894 million cwts. in 1909–13 and 86½ million cwts. in 1921–25. The Irish Free State is excluded from the United Kingdom as from 1st April, 1923, as the requisite particulars are not available.