Grim Prospects For Britain

Chronicle (Levin), 20 June 1946, Page 5

Grim Prospects For Britain

Press Assn,

DEBATE IN COMMONS

By Telegraph

-Copyright

Received Wednesday, 7.0 p.-HL , LONDON, June 18. The "Minister of Agriculture, Mr Williams, replying to a long Com uioils debate on food and agriculture, gToomily admitted the granity of Britain 's food position, says the Daily Mail's Parliamentary correspondent. He said: "I recognise it is a very grim and melancholy situation." Mr. Williams did not attempt to challengc the estimate by a former Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Iludson, tliat non-priority eustomers this coming winter might get no more than 31 pints of milk weekly. The egg average during the winter might be only four at bekt and probably only three monthly compare'd with an average of six last year. Mr. ITudson foreeast that baeon might amount to only six and possibly four ounees monthly compared with eight. "A pretty grim prospect for the honsewife," he said. Mr. Williams agreed a fall in milk siipplios was inevitable but added: "I do not expect it to be catastrophie." He saicl cuts in eommcrcial pig and poultry rations would briug Britain back to eonditions of the hardest period of tlie wai' — 1943. He feared home pigmeat siipplios would he reduced to the lowest wartime level.