§ Sir John Gilmourasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will immediately take action designed to overcome the shortage of sugar in the shops in Scotland and to ensure that there is an adequate supply of sugar for home jam making; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will inquire into the shortage of sugar in the west of Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PeartI would emphasise that, despite a shortfall in normal deliveries of raw sugar from the Caribbean, total supplies to the country as a whole over the year will be maintained at the normal level since it has proved possible to make good the West Indian shortfall by buying from other sources, namely, the Continent and the world market.
However, this interruption in shipments has meant that some shops in Scotland, and in other areas, where consumption is seasonally high, have had their supplies reduced. I am taking steps to make additional sugar available to overcome these temporary difficulties and I am in close and constant touch with representatives of the refining companies and the distributive trade to see that supplies are directed flexibly to overcome any temporary local shortages. In all these measures I shall be paying particular attention to the needs of Scotland, given its existing dependence on supplies from the refineries in Greenock. In the present situation, customers will help themselves and others by buying only what is sufficient for their normal needs.