§ VISCOUNT BLEDISLOEasked His Majesty's Government, whether, in view of potatoes being the nearest equivalent in food value to wheaten bread, and of the prospective deficiency next year of imported wheat and flour, some more definite encouragement can be given to farmers, gardeners and allotment-holders to increase their output of potatoes in spite of the discouragement occasioned by the recent waste of part of last year's crop; whether improved transport can be provided for seed potatoes next spring; whether reliable information can be furnished officially to housewives regarding 314WA the utilization of potatoes and potato flour in making palatable substitutes for wheaten bread, cakes and scones; and whether an assurance can be given in the early future to stockowners that, after a specified date, surplus unmarketed potatoes of this year's crop can be fed to live stock.
§ THE MINISTER OF FOOD (LORD WOOLTON)For reasons which I have explained to my noble friend I could not accept some of the statements contained in his question, but I can assure him that His Majesty's Government is doing everything in its power to assist growers to dispose of their potatoes of the 1942 harvest and to plant the maximum acreage to potatoes for the 1943 harvest.