HC Deb 20 July 1937 vol 326 cc1938-9
9 and 10. Mr. Turton

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether, in view of the increase in imports of eggs in shell from Denmark during the first six months of the present year to 5,099,694 great hundreds compared with a figure of 3,634,510 for the corresponding period last year and 2,968,263 for the corresponding period in 1935, he will make representations to the Danish Government so as to secure that, pending the negotiation of a new trade agreement, the British egg market is not disorganised by a glut of imports of eggs from Denmark;

(2) whether he is aware that importations of eggs from the Netherlands for the first six months of the year have increased from 476,258 great hundreds in 1933 to 2,159,766 this year; and whether he will notify the Netherlands Government that, unless these imports are materially reduced in the next six months of the year, in the event of compulsory regulation of egg imports being adopted by the Government it will be necessary to regulate drastically the importation of eggs from the Netherlands?

Mr. Stanley

I am aware of the facts stated by my hon. Friend, but I would point out that total imports of eggs in shell in the first six months of this year were lower than the total imports in the corresponding period of 1936, while the price of eggs has for some weeks been higher than it was at the corresponding date of any of the three previous years. I do not see my way to adopting the suggestions contained in the questions.

Mr. Turton

In the case of Holland will the right hon. Gentleman appreciate the fact that there is no trade agreement with this country, and therefore take steps to secure that the home market is not stolen from British producers by the Dutch?

Mr. Stanley

I will bear that in mind, but the hon. Member will appreciate that there is no immediate fear of a glut in view of the actual decrease in imports, and the rise in the price of eggs

Mr. Turton

Have not the imports from Holland increased five times?

Lieut.-Colonel Acland-Troyte

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman get away from the Free Trade principles of his predecessor?

Mr. Leonard

How many efforts have been made to reorganise this industry, to which it has always failed to respond?