COMMONS AMENDMENT. (Hansard, 9 July 1928)

THE EARL OF STRADBROKE
My Lords, I would ask your Lordships to remember, in considering this Amendment, that Clause 4 does not come into effect until an Order under the Merchandise Marks Acts has been passed. The original clause provided that all eggs, on being put into cold storage, should be marked, but it was found that that was not workable, and therefore it is now proposed that all eggs should be marked, having been in cold storage, before they are removed from cold storage. It was pointed out by the trade that in the busy season, in the spring, when there are an enormous number of eggs, it is very difficult for them to deal with the matter of marking eggs for cold storage, and that in the summer, when they keep the eggs as long as possible in order to sell them as fresh eggs, and then put them into cold storage, it is very 856 difficult to deal with such large quantities in a short time. Naturally, we want to cause as little inconvenience as possible to the trade, and therefore it is suggested in the amended paragraph that eggs should be marked on being taken out of cold storage, instead of when being put in.
The clause also goes on to deal with premises where the eggs can be dealt with when they are being marked. The custom now is, when eggs are put into cold storage, that they are tested and sorted on the premises, but the object of this provision is that the Minister may be able to specify the premises where these eggs are being tested and sorted. They will be on the registered premises but not actually in the cold storage. It was originally intended that all eggs put into cold storage should be marked, whether British or foreign, but when the matter was gone into it was found that nine-tenths of the cold storage eggs from abroad were cold-stored before they came here, and that those eggs could not be touched by us. They come into this country and can be sold as fresh eggs, and as I told your Lordships on a previous occasion, it cannot be proved by chemical analysis whether an egg has been in cold storage or not. Therefore, as the clause stood originally, the only effect would have been that those imported eggs now cold-stored in this country would be cold-stored abroad, and we might lose a certain amount of trade to the cold-storage business in this country.
As no part of this clause comes into effect until an Order has been passed under the Merchandise Marks Acts, we feel that the object we have in view will be gained, because our object is that the British new-laid egg should be sold as such, and that people who buy the British new-laid egg should know that they get that and nothing else. As your Lordships know, the poultry industry has gone ahead very much of late years. A great deal of money has been expended in producing breeds that will lay eggs during the winter months, when eggs are especially dear, and it is only fair to the poultry owners that they should get full value for their eggs—the value which people are ready to give for fresh-laid eggs at that time of year. We want to obviate any fraud 857 which will prevent the poultry owners from getting the full reward of their labours. As the Bill now stands, after Feburary 28 next all preserved eggs, whether British or imported, will be marked as such. Then, after the passing of an Order under the Merchandise Marks Acts, all British eggs cold-stored will be marked as such, and all imported eggs, whether fresh or cold-stored, will be marked as "imported." That is the effect of the clause as amended in the Commons which I hope I have now made clear. I beg to move that this House agrees with the Commons Amendment.

§ LORD STRACHIE
My Lords, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture has dealt with the great difficulty experienced by the trade in dealing with the cold storage of eggs coming from abroad. He further went on to say that it would not be to the disadvantage of the producer that such eggs should not be cold-stored, or at least. I so understood him. It is interesting to note that the Bill, as it passed from this House, applied to eggs generally. I have no doubt the reason was that the Poultry Advisory Committee which advises the Ministry, advised that it should be "eggs" and not "British eggs" that is to say, that all eggs put into cold storage should have equal treatment, whether British or imported. Under the Amendment inserted in another place the position will be that foreign eggs brought in and cold-stored in England will come out of the same door as British eggs which have been cold stored, but, unlike British eggs, will not be marked as cold-stored.
When this very objection was taken in Standing Committee, Mr. Guinness replied to this effect— I accepted their scheme as a whole, and it was only at the eleventh hour that the cold store interest gave me the figures and showed me how absolutely useless, from the producers' point of view, would be this imposition as to the marking of the foreign egg, cold-stored in this country, and how very unjust it would be to the cold storage interest to divert this trade to foreign countries. I am quite convinced, from what they told me, that if we do not limit this obligation to British cold-stored eggs, within a very few weeks of this provision coming into operation there will be 858 no foreign eggs cold-stored in this country, and we shall simply divert the trade abroad. That means that the unfair competition of foreign eggs with English would be put an end to. This is a most extraordinary position taken up by Mr. Guinness. It is always said by the Government that their object is to protect the British producer. Undoubtedly they have protected the British manufacturer against the foreign manufacturer, but when it is a question of the agriculturist then they are quite ready to say that they can do nothing—that it is impossible to mark as "cold stored" eggs imported into this country. I do not want to prevent importation of any kind, but I strongly object to the importation of foreign eggs under false pretences. It is clear that that was in the minds of the Poultry Advisory Committee when they put in "eggs" and not "British eggs."
Then the noble Earl stated that it could not be proved that eggs were cold-stored. Everybody knows that that is only a matter of mere eye-wash. The Government always say that it is impossible when they do not want to do a thing. I notice, and it is rather remarkable, that in Standing Committee this particular Amendment was only carried by a majority of fourteen to nine. A large number of members did not want to vote against Mr. Guinness, and simply walked out. I cannot see that the Government have given any good reason why this alteration should be made except for the benefit of the people interested in cold storage. I notice another remark made by the Minister of Agriculture, who said it would be a great handicap on the cold storage in this country so far as it deals with foreign produced eggs if this Amendment were not made. So the Amendment is entirely made in the interests of foreign imported eggs.

THE EARL OF STRADBROKE
My Lords, I do not think it is quite right to say that, because nothing is done until an Order in Council is passed. When that is passed all imported eggs will be marked as imported eggs, and therefore anybody purchasing such an egg will know that it is imported. It is quite true that it may have been in cold storage in this country or overseas, but it will be 859 marked as an imported egg. Our object is to protect the British egg, which alone will remain unmarked.