HC Deb 08 November 1948 vol 457 cc1245-8
8. Mr. Granville Sharp

asked the Minister of Food how many licences for fish friers have been granted during October, 1948; and how many were issued during October, 1947.

Mr. Strachey

One thousand two hundred and twenty—two in October 1948, and 25 in October, 1947.

Mr. Sharp

Would my right hon. Friend say whether the increased number issued during 1948 indicates that all these are people who otherwise would not have got licences under the old regulations?

Mr. Strachey

Yes, Sir, I think that is a fair inference.

Mr. Sutcliffe

Is it not a fact that this wholesale granting of licences will prove most unfair to those who have borne the heat and burden of the day during the last few years owing to the great difficulty as regards the fat allowance?

Mr. Strachey

The existing fish friers have borne the heat and burden of the day for a year or two, but it has not been an unremunerative heat or burden.

9. Mr. Sharp

asked the Minister of Food why applicants for fish friers' licences may now receive 4 cwt. of fat per allocation period without there being any investigation by his Department into the requirements of consumers, whilst many fish friers receiving 3 cwt. or less of fat per period, who are already equipped to give additional service, are denied a 4 cwt. allocation.

Mr. Strachey

The arrangement I made to provide licences freely was to encourage competition in the fish-frying trade. Obviously an applicant for such a licence would choose an area where he had good prospects of making a living and, therefore, of satisfying the demands of consumers. I am, sure the hon. Member would agree that the applicant who has to stake his livelihood on it will be the best judge of consumer need. The vast majority of fish friers who receive less than 4 cwt. were part-time fish friers before the war, and as I announced in the House on 1st November, I have arranged to bring the allocation of fat up to a minimum of 3 cwt. per eight weeks for all fish friers, from 5th December, 1948. The large full-time friers in general already get an allocation of varying quantities much above the 4 cwt. per eight week period according to their pre-war usage.

Mr. Sharp

In view of the fact that many of the new licences which have recently been granted have been granted for shops in close proximity to many fish friers who are now getting only 3 cwt. of fat, and in view of the fact that these new licensees are getting 4 cwt., does my right hon. Friend consider that that is fair, and will he consider bringing up the minimum to 4 cwt. for existing licences?

Mr. Strachey

If that is so, if the existing fish frier has been getting less than 3 cwt., it must have been because he was a very small or part-time operator before the war. I would like to bring up the allocation to 4 cwt., and if and when fats are available, we shall do so.

Air-Commodore Harvey

Will the right hon. Gentleman instruct his officials in the country to look into the applications for additional fats rather more sympathetically, particularly where the shops are situated in an industrial area, and people really want this form of food? Is the Minister aware that during the three years I have been a Member of this House, I have never yet had a single application that I put forward received favourably by his Ministry?

Mr. Strachey

I am very sorry that the hon. and gallant Member has had such bad luck, but I am sure that of over 2,000 applications which we have just granted, some must be in his constituency?

Mr. Sharp

Is my right hon. Friend aware that he has not answered my main point, which was whether he is aware that there are new licensees getting 4 cwt. of fat when there are already licensees in the same area who are still getting only 3 cwt.? In all fairness will not he bring the allocation to the people receiving 3 cwt. up to 4 cwt.?

Mr. Strachey

My reply to my hon. Friend was that those who were getting 3 cwt. or less—if they were getting less it has been brought up to 3 cwt.—must have been small or part-time fish friers before the war, because they are getting 80 per cent. of the pre—war allocation. Therefore, I do not think that any injustice is being done. But I repeat that if and when we have more fats available, we shall, of course, be very happy to increase their allocation, as we shall be to increase the allocation of every fish frier.

Commander Noble

Would the Minister draw the attention of his right hon. Friend the Minister of Health to the case of those fish friers who were bombed out during the war and are having great difficulty in finding new premises?

Mr. Chetwynd

Would it not be possible for a fish frier receiving an allocation of 3 cwt. to close down his business for one day and make a fresh application and get 4 cwt.?

Mr. Strachey

That is a very ingenious suggestion, but I am afraid it is too late, as the period of free granting of licences closed last week.

24. Mr. Sharp

asked the Minister of Food what percentages of the new fish friers licensed since 20th September, 1948, have received fat allocations of 4 cwt. or more, and 3 cwt. or less, respectively.

Mr. Strachey

Of the new permits granted up to date, 87 per cent. have been for 4 cwt. per eight weekly period and 13 per cent. for 3 cwt. or less. These last will all receive 3 cwt. per period as from 5th December.

Mr. Sharp

Is not this figure an added justification for the plea that existing fish friers should have their allocations increased from 3 cwt. to 4 cwt.?

Mr. Strachey

It is simply a question of priority.

Mrs. Castle

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there are fish friers in areas such as Lancashire who are tied to a datum period allocation which is low because it reflects the period of the depression, and is it not fair to give these people such a chance to build up a worthwhile business as is given to any newcomer?

Mr. Strachey

My hon. Friend should note that we have made a start in doing that by raising all allocations of under 3 cwt. to the 3 cwt. level.