Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 26 Tachwedd 1947.
Mr Cyril Osborne
, Louth Borough
12:00,
26 Tachwedd 1947
asked the Minister of Food on what date the full explanation about the bad and fusty flour was sent by his Department to the Grimsby and District Bakery Trade Association; why this information was not given to the House; and if he will now publish it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
An explanation was given as soon as our inquiries were completed On 24th November. I will publish the text of the letter in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The fustiness was caused by some of the wheat which was delivered to the millers coming into contact with wheat damaged by timber in the hold of the importing ships. Steps have been taken to ensure that in future wheat tainted in this way is not mixed with the wheat delivered to millers.
Mr Cyril Osborne
, Louth Borough
Do I understand from that answer that the reply was sent on the 24th, the day I put my Question down, so that the Minister had not carried out the undertaking he gave to the House to give that information? Why did he want to hide it from us?
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
There is not the slightest suggestion of wishing to hide it. That is the full explanation, and the hon. Member will see the letter in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
As a result of enquiries which have been made I. find that some of the wheat from which the flour was milled had been shipped from Canada under a load of timber. The grain which had been in contact with the timber was set aside as unfit for human Consumption, but the wheat delivered to the millers contained a small percentage of grain which, although it had not been in contact with the timber, carried to some extent the odour of timber. I have to express my regret that the proportion of slightly tainted wheat included in the supplies delivered to millers was sufficient to affect the quality of the flour, and to inform you that steps have been taken to ensure that in future wheat which may have been tainted in this way is not mixed with the wheat delivered to the millers.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
