§ 110. Mr. Yorkasked the Minister of Food what steps he has taken, or will take, in conjunction with other Government Departments to bring the Malayan copra industry rapidly into full production in order to increase supplies of fats to this country.
§ Dr. Summerskill:For the past six months, a representative of my Department has been a member of the unit which has been engaged in buying rubber and other produce in Malaya. At the beginning of April, responsibility for the purchase of copra from Malaya reverted to private firms. I regret, however, that no great increase in the exports of copra to the U.K. can be expected so long as the acute shortage of food continues in Malaya, and deliveries of copra to the mills are barely sufficient to meet the requirements of oil for local consumption.