51. Mr. Robertsonasked the Minister of Food how many tons of filleted fish were sent in recent days from cold stores in London to Milford Haven; and with what object.
§ Colonel LlewellinBetween 20th and 26th January, 47 tons of frozen fish were consigned from London cold stores to Milford Haven to make up deficiencies in fish supplies in the area served by that port.
Mr. RobertsonIs my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that the great fishing port of Milford Haven has carried on for at least a century without taking supplies from the great consuming centre of London; and will he take steps to prevent transfers of this kind, which are really unnecessary?
§ Colonel LlewellinThis was quite exceptional and was due to the fact that we had not enough fish in the South Wales area, and our policy is to try to equalise supplies over the country as a whole.
Mr. RobertsonIf that is so why not send the fish to Plymouth, Bristol, Cardiff and other Western towns instead of railing it 260 miles to Milford Haven and then half way back again?
52. Mr. Robertsonasked the Minister of Food why the entire shipment of 1,000 tons of Newfoundland filleted cod and headless flat fish ex "Umtali" was sent from London Docks to Aberdeen, Hull and Grimsby.
§ Colonel LlewellinBecause the frozen fish which formed only a quarter of the "Umtali's" cargo, was needed to make up deficiencies in fish supplies in the areas served by Aberdeen, Hull and Grimsby.
Mr. RobertsonIs the Minister aware that Hull and Grimsby supply London and that already at least 25 tons of the consignment have come back to one London merchant whom I know and that in all probability on a population basis about half will come back to London and district? Is it not quite wrong for huge consignments of this kind to be sent up and down the country?
§ Colonel LlewellinWe tried to get the best arrangement made for this ship to unload at two ports, in which case this would not have happened. As it is, however, in order to work in with our scheme of equal supply over the whole of the country, I am afraid that on this exceptional occasion, this fish had to go to the several destinations.
§ Mr. A. BevanIs it not a fact that a large number of ships could be made available from other ports and bring about an equal distribution if the right hon. and gallant Gentleman was able to persuade the Admiralty to allow those ships to be properly repaired?
§ Colonel LlewellinThat is a completely different question. This was a ship bringing in imported meat and frozen fish.
Mr. RobertsonWill my right hon. and gallant Friend give an assurance that this will not happen again?