HC Deb 18 May 1949 vol 465 cc428-9
50. Mr. Peter Freeman

asked the Minister of Food whether he will make a report on the working of the derationing of sweets.

Dr. Summerskill

The arrangements made for meeting the anticipated initial heavy demand following derationing have generally proved satisfactory, but it is too early to forecast at what level demand will eventually settle down. The demand for some of the more popular lines, especially chocolate, has not unnaturally exceeded supply in many areas, but usually some alternative sweets are available. Every effort is being made to maintain production and distribution at the maximum possible level.

Mr. Freeman

May I ask my right hon. Friend if it is not a fact that some people are buying as much as one pound's worth of sweets at a time and, as a result, many shops have no sweets left at all and some small children have not been able to get any since derationing? Will she consider the desirability of re-rationing so that everybody can have a fair share and the greedy grabbers are not able to enjoy a monopoly?

Dr. Summerskill

I am afraid that what my hon. Friend has said is right; some people have spent as much as a pound at a time, but small shops are now learning their lesson and are controlling the amount themselves.

Mr. Turton

May I ask why in some areas the supplies to sweet shops are less now than before derationing?

Mr. James Hudson

Is the right hon. Lady aware that this is a policy of setting the people free, and would it not be better, in view of the fact that people continue to complain about the absence of sweets, to return now to rationing?

Dr. Summerskill

Not at the moment.

Sir Frank Sanderson

Does not the Minister consider that the shortage of sweets is primarily due to the publicity given to it in the papers, and that if they would abstain from talking about the shortage, the shortage would disappear quickly?

Mr. Piratin

Is the Minister aware that we always understood that rationing would be abolished only when there was plenty to go into the shops, and if she is of the opinion that there is not sufficient to go into the shops, will she revise the decision taken, or provide more supplies to the manufacturers?

Dr. Summerskill

We have just released 1,000 tons more for sweets.

Mr. Eden

Would the right hon. Lady suggest to the hon. Member for West Ealing (Mr. J. Hudson) that if people drank a little more beer, they would not want to suck so many sweets?