61. Mr. T. WILSONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been drawn to the doubts existing as to supplies of Dutch and Danish butter being imported by this country; and whether he can give any information as to the quantities so imported or make any other statement with regard to this matter?
§ Mr. CLYNESI am aware that my statement on this subject has been challenged in certain Manchester and other newspapers, and I am glad to have an opportunity of answering the challenge. The maximum price of 229s. per cwt. fixed by the Butter (Maximum Prices) Order, 1917, is not adversely affecting the importation of Dutch and Danish butler into the United Kingdom. For the last few months the Ministry of Food has been the sole importer of butter into the United Kingdom, importation on private account having been prohibited in order to facilitate the acquisition of supplies by the Ministry on the most favourable terms. The maximum prices fixed by the Butter (Maximum Prices) Order have no relation to the prices which the Food Controller may pay for butter purchased abroad. The selling price of the butter is based on the average cost of all the butters imported by the Ministry of Food from all parts of the world.
The amount of butter imported from Holland during September, October, and November, 1917—a period of uncontrolled 1365 prices—was 280 tons, while the amount of butter purchased for shipment from Holland during December, 1917, and January and February, 1918, is 500 tons. So far as Denmark is concerned, the quantity available for shipment to this country since the date of the control of importation by the Ministry of Food has largely decreased, owing to the natural diminution of production during the winter months, which is accentuated by the shortage of imported feeding-stuffs, but the Ministry of Food has taken steps to purchase the comparatively small quantity which is available for shipment to this country.
I would point out that under present circumstances the consumer gets every ton of butter that can be shipped from all parts of the world at cost price, and that this is only possible by virtue of the Government monopoly of import. If prices had been controlled and the import left in private hands, supplies costing more than the maximum price here would not have arrived. On the other hand, if prices had been left uncontrolled in order to attract the maximum quantity of imports, the general level of price of all butter would have risen at least as high as that of the most expensive imports, namely, those from Holland and Denmark.
§ Mr. LOUGHWill the hon. Gentleman inform the House what price he has paid in Holland and Denmark for butter, and will he say whether the Food Controller might not be wise to offer the same price to British producers in order to stop the famine?
§ Mr. CLYNESI cannot give the precise price. I can only say that we pay the price we are compelled to pay in competition with other buyers in order to get the article.
§ Mr. PRINGLECould the hon. Gentleman give the comparative amounts of Danish butter for the same period as he has done in regard to Dutch butter?
§ Mr. CLYNESI could do so with notice.