In matters of this kind it is much better to tell the truth. Why should we not be able to import 150,000 tons of wheat in September? Have we left it too late? If so, tell us so. In September last year, we imported 318,000 tons of wheat. Why should this be so difficult? In September, 1944, a bad year, with the war going on, we imported 292,000 tons of wheat across the U-boat blockade. So we need import only about 150,000 tons to maintain the pipeline above the danger point. In September, the Minister is counting on 250,000 tons from our own harvest. We have not been told what other supplies will reach us from abroad in August and September. At least between 200,000 and 300,000 tons of this harvest will be garnered in September-and perhaps more may be accelerated by special measures-and the rest, amounting in the end to over 1,700,000 tons, can be garnered and delivered to the millers, as may be needed from October onwards, by arrangements which can easily be made now. But by 31st August we reap the new home harvest. Gentleman the Minister of Food-there would come a point where the distribution system of the country, first of the wheat, and then of the flour after it had been milled, would begin to creak and groan, and finally break down. Somewhere below the figure of 800,000 tons-these are the words of the right hon. We are told that less than eight weeks' supply in the pipeline will endanger distribution, at any rate in particular localities. We are told that the pipeline will contain only eight weeks' supply, and that we use 100,000 tons a week-actually, I think we use a little more, 112,000 tons-whereas we have worked in the war to ten and a half weeks' supply, and made that a necessary precautionary essential. The "pipeline" is his own expression, a very good expression, and it is on the state of that chain of moving supplies on 31st August that he rests his case. The Minister's case has rested upon the state of the pipeline of 31st August, 1946. The Minister of Food - I am glad to see him safely out of the oven. I will now proceed to examine seriatim the reasons which have so far been vouchsafed to us. Unless some new fact is disclosed which we do not now know, we shall be bound to vote against the imposition of this heavy, awkward, galling burden at this time. " That the Bread (Rationing) Order, 5946, dated 11th July, 1946 (S.R, & O., 1946, No.1100), a copy of which was presented on 15th July, be annulled." We have given the most careful consideration to, and we have had long discussions among ourselves upon, all the statements and figures which have been given to us on this subject by His Majesty's Government, and as the result we cannot feel convinced that the imposition of bread rationing is necessary on 21st July.
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