HC Deb 08 November 1948 vol 457 cc1243-5
6. Mr. De la Bère

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the large yield of potatoes per acre throughout the country, and the difficulty growers are experiencing in finding licensed merchants who will accept their crops, he will allow the growers to sell them to the shops or public without a licence.

Mr. Strachey

The licensing system was introduced to ensure guaranteed prices to producers and regular supplies to consumers. I am considering whether any change is needed to meet the present temporary situation. Any grower who cannot find a merchant to take sound ware potatoes may of course offer them to my Department and obtain the guaranteed fixed price.

Mr. De la Bère

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware the Members of Parliament, and the hon. Member for Evesham, may not tender their potatoes to the Ministry under a very old Act? What in the world are they to do? Are they to go on looking at their potatoes throughout eternity?

Mr. Strachey

I recognise that there is a special difficulty for the limited category of persons to whom the hon. Member refers, but I think they may meet that difficulty through an accredited merchant.

Squadron-Leader Fleming

Why cannot the Minister allow to continue the system which was in force before the war by which if the grower had a surplus of potatoes, he could sell them to the public without any licence at all?

Mr. Strachey

I know that was one of the suggestions which I said I would consider, provided, of course, that he sold within the guaranteed price.

Mr. De la Bère

May I ask whether the Minister will consider it very quickly?

21. Sir W. Smithers

asked the Minister of Food if he will give in tabular form the retail fixed prices for the various sorts of potatoes for the 1947 and 1948 crops; if he will state the amount of Government subsidy used to achieve these prices; and if he will take off all controls on potatoes immediately.

Mr. Strachey

As the reply is rather long, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Sir W. Smithers

Is not the Minister aware that his regulations for the control of potatoes are causing unnecessarily high prices to the consumer and a waste of potatoes? Is he not aware that there never was a shortage of potatoes this year or last year?

Mr. Strachey

I am unaware of all those things.

Sir W. Smithers

The right hon. Gentleman will never learn.

Mr. Strachey

The hon. Member's suggestion that all controls should be taken off potatoes this year would, of course, involve the most unwarrantable breach of promise to all the farmers of the country.

Following is the statement:

As the list of maximum retail prices is rather long I am sending to the hon. Member S.R. & O.s 1947 Nos. 1100, 1573, 1898 and 2115; and 1948 Nos. 1116, 1751 and 2200 in which the prices are tabulated. These prices are not directly subsidised although as the hon. Member knows the growers receive an acreage payment from the Ministry of Agriculture. The removal of all controls on potatoes at the present time would, of course, cause the price to the growers to fall catastrophically, would cause them heavy losses, and would be the most unwarrantable breach of faith to the farmers who were given a binding promise of a guaranteed price.