§ Mr. Douglasasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, as the prices of soft fruits have been fixed with the intention of diverting such fruits to the jam manufacturers, it is his policy to deprive the public of fresh fruit; and whether he will consider making, in the absence of imported fruits, home-grown fruit available for consumption in its natural state?
Major Lloyd GeorgeMy hon. Friend will understand that the additional fruit which is needed by jam factories in order to raise the preserves ration to 16 ounces per month, cannot also be consumed in its natural state. With regard to the latter part of the Question, the canning of certain varieties of soft fruits has been prohibited and the canning of other varieties restricted this year, in order to ensure that as much as possible of the soft fruit crops not needed for jam manufacture, is put into consumption in its natural state.