§ 63. Mr. Oliverasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that quantities of eggs are now allowed to accumulate in the hands of egg producers in Derbyshire extending over many weeks; and whether further steps will be taken to institute an efficient system of collection or permit the producers to otherwise dispose of them?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI am not aware eggs are accumulating in the hands of egg producers in Derbyshire, and if my hon. Friend will give me particulars the matter will be investigated at once.
§ Mr. OliverWill the Parliamentary Secretary give instructions pending this 1402 information being sent out by his Department? Is he aware that the producer must sell eggs or permit them to go rotten?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI do not know exactly what the hon. Gentleman means by that. I have heard a lot of stories about home-produced eggs being allowed to go rotten, but in no case on investigation was there any foundation for such a statement. The eggs which went rotten were not laid in this country. The actual throughput of eggs at packing stations is three or four times greater than it was recently, and distribution is much better.
§ 70. Sir L. Lyleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether licensed packers are allowed to sell cracked eggs; and, if not, what becomes of them?
Major Lloyd GeorgeEggs with slight cracks may be marked with the Ministry's approved mark "S" and are bought by the Ministry at appropriate price. Any edible eggs of which the shells so cracked as to be unfit for stamping or sale in shell are broken out and sold as "liquid eggs"