§ Mr. McEnteeasked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that in the summer British firms were allowed to buy early crop potatoes and to make forward purchases of later crop potatoes for manufacture into mashed potato powder, sold to the public in packets at the luxury price of 1s. 9d. to 2s. a lb.; whether he has any information as to the quantities so used and why, in view of the known probability that this year's potato crop would be small, with consequent winter shortages, this practice was permitted by his Ministry.
§ Mr. StracheyYes; the firms concerned, converted into mashed potato powder a quantity of early potatoes that was in danger of being wasted, thus securing an extra supply for human consumption. One thousand two hundred tons of raw potatoes are being processed weekly to form a reserve at the direction of my Department to meet local shortages. I do not consider the product a luxury, as 1 lb. of powder is the equivalent of 7 lb. of raw potatoes.