EMERGENCY POWERS (DEFENCE) ACT, 1939. (Hansard, 25 November 1941)

§ Mr. Tinker (Leigh)

Before we pass this Order, I should like to have some explanation from the Minister of Agriculture. Since this Motion has been on the Order Paper I have wished to ascertain what it means. I am somewhat confused with the language which appears in the Order. The Order speaks about "ware" potatoes, and I suggest that there are not more than half a dozen Members who know what that term means. It also states that certain charges shall be made on people who auction or buy potatoes. For instance, a licensed salesman shall pay 1s. per ton, and a licensed potato buyer shall pay 2s. 6d. per ton. I should like to know where this money goes. Is it to form a fund for some purpose, or is the money to be returned to the farmers in addition to what they already receive? If the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food is to reply, perhaps he will tell us what is the subsidy, if any, which goes to potato-growers, and how it is arranged and managed. These are the points upon which I should like an explanation before I agree to this Order. These are matters of interest to everyone. I can well understand the Minister of Food saying to himself that it passed last year and everyone knows about it. I do not know about it, and I think we ought to have some further explanation before we let it pass.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (Major Lloyd George)

This is an Order continuing in a modified form a levy which was imposed in 1940. The original purpose was to contribute a sort of insurance fund, first of all to meet the cost of the scheme of potato control and to create a fund to ensure growers a 721 reasonable return on the surplus potatoes which were there from time to time. The original levy was imposed on various classes of salesmen—some were 7s. 6d. and others 5s. The licensed wholesale potato merchant paid nearly 5s. a ton, a retail distributors' licence to buy direct from growers cost 7s. 6d., a licensed seed potato merchant 2s. 6d., and licensed growers 1s. a ton. There is a subsidy which is in effect a consumer subsidy. It comes to £11,000,000 per annum. There is also a subsidy to help the farmer. The consumer subsidy keeps the price of potatoes down and ensures the grower an adequate price. The levy that was proposed by the 1940 Order will not be continued, with the exceptions specified in the Order. The levy was originally 5s. generally, but extra special charges were levied because of advantages conferred upon certain classes of licensed potato buyers. By deducting 5s., we still leave those over 5s. paying 1s. or half-a-crown. That is because special concessions have been given them. They have all agreed to accept the charge that still remains. It is not passed on to the consumer in any shape or form. It is paid by those who get those special privileges. All those concerned are favourable. There has been no objection.