HC Deb 09 October 1946 vol 427 c63W
Sir E. Graham-Little

asked the Minister of Food why his Department has refused the English Grains Company, Limited, Burton-on-Trent, a renewal of their licence to continue the production of malted rye and wheat which is an essential ingredient for their granary bread and meal products which are popular and entail no waste of grain; and whether he will review this refusal.

Mr. Strachey

The decision not to grant licences to manufacturers of malt flour and malt extract, including the English Grains Company, Limited, to use wheat and rye for these purposes, was made by my Department in the early summer of this year because it was essential to conserve all available supplies for first priority uses, namely, the straight milling of wheat for National Flour and of rye for rye flour and rye meal used in making points-rationed foods. I am unable at present to make any relaxation in the case of wheat, but certain recent changes in the supply position of rye have enabled me to review the position in regard to the malting of rye and a licence for the current season has been issued to the English Grains Company, Limited, and to the other manufacturers concerned, permitting them to use rye for the manufacture of rye malt for use in bread-making.