§ Commander Nobleasked the Minister of Food what has been the total increase in cost on bulk-buying contracts during the past 12 months, compared with the previous year.
§ Mr. StracheyThe total cost of Ministry of Food imports during 1947–48 was £790 million against a cost of £671 million in the previous year—an increase of £119 million. The above figures cover all imports by the Ministry of Food valued at contract prices (mainly F.O.B. country of origin), but exclude purchases of home-produced foodstuffs. In view of the different terms on which the Ministry of Food has contracted to buy it is impossible to reduce all values to the same basis. Side payments to New Zealand, Argentina and Uruguay have been included in the totals.