asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many cases of tinned pineapples were exported from Malaya to the United Kingdom in 1938; and what steps are being taken to redevelop this important source of canned fruit supplies from this sterling area.

Mr. Creech Jones:

1,696,251 cases of tinned pineapples were imported from Malaya to the United Kingdom in 1938. A small quantity was bought by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Food in 1946 and he is considering further purchases. The acreage of land under pineapples fell very heavily under Japanese occupation, and a high proportion of the factories were dismantled. An expert is visiting Malaya to survey the industry, and to draw up a scheme for its rehabilitation. This will cover the reorganisation of the marketing as well as the agricultural side of the industry.

Can the Minister say what price the Minister of Food paid for the pineapples?