§ 29. Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Food why he gave about £67 a ton for 4,268 tons of carrots during the year ended 31st December, 1947, while the average price for home-grown carrots was about £10 a ton.
§ Mr. StracheyThe hon. Member is misinformed. This high average import price was due to imports of early carrots by private traders.
§ Sir W. SmithersWhy did the Minister of Food give £60 a ton for foreign carrots when home-grown carrots at £10 per ton were rotting?
§ Mr. StracheyThe hon. Member evidently did not listen to my reply. Those carrots were not bought by the Ministry of Food.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydWere not import licences required?
§ Mr. StracheyCertainly, but the price of early carrots imported by private traders bears no relation to the price of main crop carrots.
§ Sir W. SmithersWere not these carrots imported with permission and by licence?
§ Mr. StracheyI have just replied to that question.