§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what firm, or firms, are to supply B1 vitamin which is to fortify national bread; what is to be the source from which they will draw this vitamin; and what guarantee can he offer that the vitamin, when made, purchased and distributed will be evenly distributed throughout the whole of the country and in equal proportions in every district and every baker's shop?
§ Mr. BoothbyIt is at present intended to obtain supplies of B1 vitamin from Roche Products, Limited, which for this purpose it is proposed to bring under the control of the Ministry during the period of the war. The Ministry is not tied to462W any one source and would be prepared to consider obtaining supplies from other sources or to import the vitamin from abroad if necessary. I am advised that a very large number of raw materials is employed in the manufacture of this vitamin. As regards distribution I am not able at present to add anything to the statement I made to the House on this subject on 18th July.
§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food why it has been found impossible to restore to the nation's use during the present war the 90 per cent, extraction bread, otherwise known as wholemeal, which proved valuable during the last war, and was reported on with commendation by the Committee of the Royal Society dealing with the digestibility of bread in 1918?
§ Mr. BoothbyIt is true that during the last war, the Government had to compel the use of flour based upon a 90 per cent, extraction from wheat, but bread made from such flour was, as the report of the Royal Commission on Wheat Supplies of 1921 shows, never popular with the consuming public, which showed then as now a decided preference for white flour. Wholemeal bread can be freely obtained by consumers who have a preference for it, but the Government do not consider that present conditions require that all consumers shall be compelled to eat such bread.
§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that the increased demand during the past year for a patented Bi product, derived from the wheat germ, was due in large measure to Army contracts and improved Empire markets; and whether, in view of the undertaking to fortify the national war bread by the reintroduction of vitamin B1, he will take steps to check the export of this product?
§ Mr. BoothbyI have no information concerning the demand during the past year for the patented B1 product to which I presume my hon. Friend refers. It is not proposed, however, to fortify white flour by means of wheat germ, which would tend to reduce the keeping qualities of the flour but by vitamin B1 produced by special manufacture. In these circumstances, it does not appear necessary to 463W take steps to restrict export of the product referred to by my hon. Friend.