HC Deb 01 November 1948 vol 457 cc500-1
34. Air-Commodore Harvey

asked the Minister of Food if he will consider granting increased allocations of edible oils and fats to established fish friers before granting licences to new entrants to the fish frying trade.

Mr. Strachey

No, Sir. I will not agree to any absolute priority for established friers as I consider that the most urgent need for this trade is to re-introduce at least some element of competition into it and so help to reduce prices. However, I am very willing to consider the claims of existing friers also.

Air-Commodore Harvey

Why is the right hon. Gentleman's Ministry encouraging new applicants to enter this business while existing shops are only open for a few hours a week and many of them are operating at a loss?

Mr. Strachey

My information is that a great many of the present operators are operating at far from a loss. We are very desirous indeed to introduce competition into this trade because we believe that it will be thoroughly helpful. Unfortunately, the existing friers do not share our view.

Mrs. Castle

Is my right hon. Friend aware that I have taken cases up with his Department recently in which friers were trying to make a living on 1¼ cwt. of fat per week and have been unable to do it, while rivals have been opening up with allocations of four cwt.? Does he think that that is fair to those who arc unable to make a livelihood on the present basis?

Mr. Strachey

My hon. Friend has a point of real substance, and I shall be saying something on the matter later.

Commander Noble

Can the right hon. Gentleman give us an assurance that all applications will be considered according to their merits? Are there not many cases in which application was not made before the dead-line, October, 1946, because the persons concerned were away in the war?

Mr. Strachey

On 20th September last we gave an open field to all applications.

Air-Commodore Harvey

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply which I have received, I beg to give notice that I intend to raise this matter on the Adjournment at a very early date.