§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the report of the Ministry's Scientific Food Committee has been, or is to be, published, and, if not, upon what expert opinion his decision was taken; and whether there was any dissent from that opinion by members of that committee, in view of the fact that an opinion in conflict with that decision has been published with the assent of one of the most important members of the committee?
§ Mr. BoothbyIt is not intended that the reports of the Scientific Food Committee shall be published. I understand that my hon. Friend's Question refers to the committee's first report which dealt with bread. I have no reason to think that that report was not unanimous. The statement to which reference is made in the last part of the Question was not in conflict either with the report of the Scientific Committee or with my Noble Friend's decision. It is an essential part of the Ministry's plans that bread made from long extraction flour should be available for anyone who prefers it at the same price as white bread fortified with vitamin B1 and calcium salt.
§ Mr. Bartlettasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will obtain, through the Ministry of Information and the Wartime Social Survey, a report to show whether public opinion in favour of white bread is so strong that it demands the expensive extraction of essential vitamins from whole-meal and their subsequent expensive replacement in the form of vitamin B1?
§ Mr. BoothbyNo, Sir. The general preference for white bread is fully estab- 1319W lished. My Noble Friend could not accept the suggestions contained in the last part of my lion. Friend's Question.