Mr. De la Bèreasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether, with a view to assisting the fruit-growers in the Evesham fruit-growing district and other districts throughout the country, he will consider a plan whereby the Food Defence Plans Department make known to all the canners of fruit, makers of jam and pulp-plums, that they should replenish and maintain their stocks in 1939 as far as possible owing to the depletion of stocks which took place in 1938 as a result of the poor crop of plums and other fruits?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonI have no doubt that should there be a heavy crop of fruit, canners and jam manufacturers will do their best, in the ordinary course of business, to replenish their stocks. Nevertheless, I should like to take this opportunity of emphasising that anything that jam manufacturers and fruit preservers can do to increase the stocks of jam and preserved fruit in the country at the present time will be in the national interest.