§ Captain Kerbyasked the President of the Board of Trade what dollar allocation was approved for the 1956–57 season, under the United States Mutual Security Act, for the purchase of United States canned fruits; what these imports amounted to in volume; and if he is satisfied that such imports are not in direct conflict with the object of encouraging Commonwealth producers.
§ Sir D. Eccles$6.57 million were allocated under the United States Mutual Security Act for imports of canned fruit between July, 1956, and June, 1957; of this $1 million was for canned grapefruit and the remainder for deciduous fruit. Imports under the programme amounted to 3,400 tons of canned grapefruit and 19,100 tons of canned deciduous fruit. It is our practice to take into account the views of Commonwealth Governments before accepting canned fruit under programmes of this kind.