asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the quantity of wheat and flour imported during the past two months; and whether, in view of these imports, there will be an improvement in the quality of bread.

The imports of wheat and flour during September and October were approximately 13,000 tons of wheat and 2,500 tons of flour. I am not in a position to indicate when it may be possible to improve the quality of flour and bread.

Will the Minister say— and I think it requires saying—that while the present quality of bread is admittedly unpalatable, it is a mistake to assume that it is injurious to health —that the maltose which makes it unpalatable is not really indigestible and is not calculated to injure anybody?

There is a question on that subject on the Order Paper to-day for the Minister for Local Government. There is no question that the bread is not a suitable food.

It is unpalatable, but it is not injurious to health.