48. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister for Economic Affairs whether he will issue instructions that the wartime practice of not disclosing the actual tonnage of raw materials allocated, such as steel, to the agricultural industry, and the price of food purchased by the Ministry of Food from overseas, be now discontinued, since the giving of increased or decreased percentages without disclosing the actual quantity or price is misleading.
§ The Paymaster-General (Mr. Marquand)I have been asked to reply. The question of making public raw material allocations is at present under consideration. With regard to food, it is not proposed to give information about present or future prices in respect of specific purchases from overseas as this would not be in best interests of the country.
Mr. De la BèreWhy not? Is it not time that we gave up dealing in x and y and got down to hard facts and figures? How are we going to recover if we are going to indulge in this absolute nonsense? May I have an answer? There is no answer.
§ Sir W. SmithersWill not all these facts about prices paid for food from overseas come up before the Public Accounts Committee?
§ Mr. MarquandYes, Sir, certainly. The Public Accounts Committee no doubt will review the operations of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Food in his purchases. That is quite a different matter from publishing now prices which might give a key to other persons with whom we are making bargains at the present time.
§ Mr. W. FletcherIs it not a fact that the majority of these prices are perfectly well known in the countries in which the purchases are made, and can be obtained by anybody who takes the trouble to ask in the appropriate quarters? Does not the Minister realise that this is sheer camouflage and serves no object except to mystify the public?
§ Mr. MarquandIf the prices are well known, I do not see how the Question arises.