§ 54. Colonel HOWARD-BURYasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, seeing that a large proportion of the jam manufactured in this country is made from foreign fruit pulp, he will take steps to see that in future such jam is marked as made from foreign fruit, in the same way as eggs have to be marked with the country of origin?
§ Dr. ADDISONAn Order-in-Council similar to the Egg Marking Order could be made, subject to the conditions laid down in the Merchandise Marks Act, 1313 1926, in respect of imported jam or of imported fruit pulp which is to be made into jam in this country. The Act provides, however, that "imported goods" does not include goods which have undergone, since importation, any treatment or process resulting in a substantial change in those goods. If, therefore, it was held that the conversion of fruit pulp into jam is a "treatment or process resulting in a substantial change," a Marking Order in respect of imported fruit pulp would not continue to apply to the jam into which it was subsequently made.
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a very large part of the jam manufactured is made from this foreign fruit pulp, and that this is killing the home industry at the present time; and can he not take steps to enforce an Order-in-Council, or make a different one, with regard to this particular case?
§ Dr. ADDISONI should be only too delighted to make an Order. The question is whether I could legally make one under the Act passed by the hon. and gallant Member's friends, and I am afraid I cannot.
§ Sir WILLIAM MITCHELL-THOMSONHow can the right hon. Gentleman discover whether he can legally make an Order unless he actually makes an Order and has the case tested
§ Dr. ADDISONI am going into the matter, and shall be glad to confer with the right hon. Gentleman, but I am advised by the best advice I can get that it is doubtful whether I could legally make the Order-in-Council required.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, in spite of the opposition of himself and his party to the Merchandise Marks Bill, we on this side of the House would be delighted to help him in this matter?
§ Dr. ADDISONIt is a pity that the right hon. Gentleman did not hold that view when he passed the Act.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERWas it not a pity that the right hon. Gentleman's party spent six months in obstructing the Bill?
§ Mr. ALPASSIs it not the fact that there is nothing in the law to prevent firms who are making jam from English fruit from saying so, which would indirectly achieve the object in view?