asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he will provide facilities whereby citizens, who are desirous of assisting in the provision of food supplies for countries in urgent need, would be enabled to surrender voluntarily their individual ration of butter (or other rationed foods) with the object of having such surrendered food rations exported in bulk.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Food Supplies for Needy Countries.
Having regard to the difficulties of organisation which would arise, I consider that it would not be practicable to arrange for the voluntary surrender by private persons of their individual rations with a view to their collection and exportation in bulk for relief purposes.
In this connection, I would point out that, under the Government's relief schemes for last year and for the current year, the quantities of rationed foodstuffs provided for the relief of distress in Europe have been made available either by general reductions in the domestic rations for all persons or by sacrificing increases which would otherwise have been possible.