§ 1. Mr. W. Shepherdasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the food position in the British zone and, in particular, state why there is a shortage of cereals, in view of the agreement entered into by the Lord President of the Council with the U.S.A. for the joint responsibility of the zone.
§ Mr. J. HyndThe immediate cause of the present food difficulties in the British zone is the delay in arrivals of imported grain. Shipments arranged at the time of the visit to Washington of my right hon. Friend, the Lord President of the Council, which should all have reached the zone by the end of September, have still to be completed. In addition, the grain allocated in the United States Department of Agriculture programme for the fourth quarter; 1946, has not yet reached Germany. It is hoped that shipments now on the way, together with indigenous supplies, the quantities made available by the American authorities in Germany and those coming forward under the barter arrangement with the Russian zone will enable us substantially to meet the combined bread and cereals ration in our zone until the economic fusion of the British and American zones becomes fully effective.
§ 9. Mr. Footasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what quantities of bread and cereals, respectively, were shown on the printed sheet detailing rations for the normal consumer in the British zone of Germany, and totalling 1,548 calories for the 28-day period starting 14th October; and whether the normal consumer was entitled to these quantities or to what quantities he was entitled.
§ Mr. J. HyndI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to similar questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton (Mr. Paget) on Wednesday last.
§ 10. Mr. Footasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what quantity of bread the normal consumer in Düsseldorf should have received during the 28-day period starting 14th October in order to provide the quota necessary to make up 224W 1,548 calories; what quantity of bread he was actually entitled to receive; and if there was sufficient bread to provide the latter quantity or what was the deficiency.
§ Mr. J. HyndThe amount of bread necessary to make up the full ration was 10,000 grammes. The limited supplies of grain available only permitted a ration of 8,500 grammes, leaving a deficiency of 15 per cent.
§ 11. Mr. Footasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of the cereal ration in North Rhine, Westphalia, was met during the 28-day period beginning 14th October and is being met in the current period; and why has the cereal quota of the current ration been retained at 1,500 grammes.
§ Mr. J. HyndSince 14th October only an insignificant proportion of the cereal ration, as distinct from bread, has been met in this region. I hope, however, that imports of grain will soon be sufficient to enable the full rate of distribution to be resumed and the ration scale has therefore been retained at 1,500 grammes.