The following Question stood upon the Order Paper in the name of Mr. SKEFFINGTON-LODGE:

38. To ask the Minister of Food, whether he is now in a position to make a statement about the issue of an extra quantity of rationed foods to consumers in respect of the forthcoming Christmas holiday.

This Question has already been answered, I fear.

I am glad to say that we shall be able to issue 6d. worth of meat, one and a half pounds of sugar and 4 ounces of sweets a head. It is not as much as we should have liked, but it is better than nothing.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us why the House of Commons was not the first body to be informed about this?

There has been no deviation from normal practice in this. Each year it has been done at Press conferences, and not in the House of Commons.

Will the Minister consider deviating from the normal practice by giving the House of Commons the first information about important changes?

No, Sir. In this case I cannot agree that a Ministry which is running a vast business such as the Food Ministry, should always make these announcements in the House of Commons?

Can the Minister say whether this increase will mean cutting down the normal rations after Christmas?

No, Sir.

Will my right hon. Friend remember that, if the Tories had been in power, this information would have been given before Gravesend, not after?