BRITISH FOOD OUTLOOK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 83, 4 October 1941, Page 9

BRITISH FOOD OUTLOOK

MUCH IMPROVED

SERIOUS ANXIETY AT ONE

TIME

RUGBY, October 2. In a statement in the House of. Commons on the food situation, theParliamentary Secretary to the Minis-j try of Food, Major Lloyd George, said. that at one time shipping losses were so serious that real 'anxiety was caused as to the supply of staple' commodities. "I am glad to be able to reassure the House regarding the position of these commodities," he said. "We are in practically every; instance batter off, not only than last year and the year before, but in some cases better off than before the war. "No one can possibly foretell what the future has in store for us, but whatever the trials may be we can at least say this, that we are at this moment in a better position to with-! stand those perils than we thought possible a few months ago." Major Lloyd George said that the improved position in the Atlantic made it possible to concentrate on; supplying things which had been absent for so long, and this, coupled with generous assistance from the United States, enabled the difficult question of unrationed foodstuffs to be dealt with. ' The position of the reserve of essentials was highly satisfactory, considering that Britain was in the third year of the war, and considering the intensity of the attack which had been, made. Although it was inevitable that ■ the population must go without many, things it had been accustomed to be- ; fore the war, Britain was the only^ belligerent country that at the begirHj ning of the third year had increasedits rations. ■ Though the Government intended 1, to continue its policy of distributing}] domestic rations equally throughout* the country, the policy of providing extra for special classes of workers] would be carried out by increasing! the number of canteens and British i restaurants through which. the extraswould be distributed. About 12,000,000 meals were already?, being served outside of homes every^ day, and the canteens were serving */ most important purpose in national' life.—B.O.W. -