§ 67. Captain Cunningham-Reidasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that the price of matured onions is con trolled at 4⅓d per lb., but as unmatured onions are uncontrolled, unmatured autumn-sown onions are being sold in the 1988 shops at 2s. to 2s. 9d. a lb., and growers are pulling young onions in large quantities to get the bigger profit; and will he consider placing a control price on all onions in order to safeguard the future supply of matured onions to the public, and prevent another shortage?
Major Lloyd GeorgeIt is not the practice of the trade to sell green onions by weight, but I am satisfied that the figures quoted by my hon. and gallant Friend are greatly in excess of the present average retail prices. It is a normal and necessary practice to thin out part of the crop of onions grown for autumn harvesting and to sell the thinnings in the summer, but I have seen no evidence that this is taking place on a larger scale than usual. Increasing supplies of green onions are now coming on to the market and in the circumstances I do not consider that price control is necessary or that it would have the effect which my hon. and gallant Friend desires.
§ Captain Cunningham-ReidIf the controlled price of onions is 4⅓d.per lb., at what stage in the growth of an onion is an onion an onion?