HC Deb 15 November 1948 vol 458 cc42-6
64 and 65. Mr. Touche

asked the Minister of Food (1) whether the Association of Wholesale Distributors of Imported Poultry and Rabbits Limited were consulted before the decision was made to grant a special preferential allocation of 10 per cent. of imported poultry and rabbits for Christmas to co-operative societies;

(2) whether, in view of the fact that he has made a special preferential allocation of imported poultry and rabbits for Christmas to co-operative societies on the ground of their increased membership, he will also grant a similar preferential allocation to private meat-traders whose registrations have increased.

69. Mr. Baker White

asked the Minister of Food what consultations he had with the Association of Wholesale Distributors of Imported Poultry and Rabbits Limited before deciding to grant a preferential 10 per cent. allocation of imported rabbits and poultry to the co-operative societies for Christmas sale.

74. Brigadier Peto

asked the Minister of Food whether the Association of Wholesale Distributors of Imported Poultry and Rabbits Limited on the one hand and the Master Bakers' Association on the other were consulted before decisions were reached granting special preferential allocations of increased supplies to co-operative societies to the serious disadvantage of private traders; and whether he will make a statement giving his reasons for making this discrimination.

76. Mr. A. R. W. Low

asked the Minister of Food for what reason he has decided to grant a preferential allocation of 10 per cent. of imported poultry and rabbits to the co-operative societies for Christmas.

77. Captain Crowder

asked the Minister of Food why the co-operative societies are to receive a preferential allocation of 10 per cent. of the total imports of poultry and rabbits.

81 and 82. Sir William Darling

asked the Minister of Food (1) if all organisations of wholesale distributors of rabbits and poultry were consulted before the decision to grant 10 per cent. Christmas preferential allowances to co-operative societies;

(2) in view of the fact that many retail distributors other than co-operative societies have increased registrations, on what grounds he sanctioned a preferential increase to some traders which is denied to others.

85. Mr. Gammans

asked the Minister of Food the constitution and function of an organisation known as A.W.D.I.P.A.R.; and what quota of imported poultry and rabbits has been allocated by it to the Co-operative Wholesale Society or any other co-operative society.

Dr. Summerskill

My right hon. Friend's decision to make available to those consumers who shop with retail co-operative societies increased supplies of imported turkeys, other poultry and rabbits, was taken in the light of evidence submitted by the co-operative societies that their customers do not at present enjoy a fair share of these unrationed foods. For similar reasons he has allocated a higher proportion of the extra sugar now available for food manufacture to the co-operative societies. My right hon. Friend has stated that he is prepared to consider similar claims from any other well-defined group of traders.

This decision was not discussed beforehand with the Association of Wholesale Distributors of Imported Poultry and Rabbits Limited, which is an association of importers who prior to 3rd September, 1939, dealt in importing rabbits and/or poultry by wholesale. The association is managed by a council on which my Department has a majority vote, and its main function is to distribute imported rabbits and poultry in accordance with my Department's instructions. The association was, however, immediately informed of the decision so that they could consider its implications. The association has made certain alternative suggestions for distributing these increased supplies which my right hon. Friend is now considering.

The C.W.S., as members of A.W.D.I.P.A.R., at present receive about 1½ per cent. of total imported supplies of turkeys, other poultry and rabbits, and retail co-operative societies receive in addition a small quantity from other members of A.W.D.I.P.A.R. for which no precise figures are available, but which is not estimated to exceed 3 per cent. of total supplies.

As regards sugar for manufacture, in view of the fact that my right hon. Friend's decision did not involve reducing the existing allocation of sugar to any type of manufacturer he felt free to take this decision without consulting the food manufacturers.

Brigadier Peto

Is the hon. Lady not aware that this differential treatment in favour of one section of the industry and to the disadvantage of another is a departure from all previously accepted principles; and is she further aware that if continued it is bound to cause unlimited resentment amongst small traders?

Dr. Summerskill

No, Sir. It is our practice to listen to the grievances of any group of traders, whether they be cooperatives or private enterprise traders, and the co-operative retail societies had a legitimate grievance. They have at the moment 14 per cent. of the meat registrations of this country, but were allocated only 1 per cent. of the rabbits and poultry from the C.W.S. and 3½ per cent. from the other wholesalers. Surely, this is a legitimate grievance?

Mr. Baker White

Was the re-estimation in favour of the co-operative retail societies based on the total number of customers as opposed to the total number of meat registrations?

Dr. Summerskill

It was based on the total number of registrations.

Mr. Fernyhough

Does not my hon. Friend think that this decision ought to be welcomed by the other side, in that the C.W.S. is the finest example of a property-owning democracy that can be seen?

Mr. Orr-Ewing

The Parliamentary Secretary has said that she is prepared to consider representations from "other well-defined groups," but as there are many small retailers not in any well-defined groups, how are they to make their representations in regard to the additional number of customers now on their books as compared with 1939?

Dr. Summerskill

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. There is a national association which covers small retailers who have sent representatives to us on many occasions. We are prepared to listen to them on this subject.

Mr. Tolley

Does my hon. Friend not agree that the membership of the cooperative societies is generally known, and that the basis of allocations is, even now, far below what it might otherwise have been?

Mr. Low

Will the Parliamentary Secretary say why, at the time when the announcement was made that the cooperative societies' allocation was to be increased, the Minister did not also say he was ready to increase the allocations of any other traders or group of traders who had a similar claim, and why he waited until there had been a fuss in the country before saying he was ready to consider their claims?

Dr. Summerskill

I think it was a day or two afterwards that they made representations to my right hon. Friend and he agreed to consider their claims.

Mrs. Ridealgh

Does my hon. Friend not agree that, far from receiving preferential treatment, the co-operative societies are not even receiving justice, as 15 per cent. of the meat registrations and 25 per cent. of the sugar registrations are with the co-operative societies and in both instances they are being given less than their just share?

Dr. Summerskill

That is quite correct. The allocations made to the co-operative societies do not now equal their registrations.

Mr. Walter Fletcher

Will the Parliamentary Secretary say why she allowed all this difficulty and fuss to arise instead of carrying out her proper function of considering the views of the small traders, whether they were in an association or not? Instead of waiting for a major grievance to arise and then trying to redress it, will she in future carry out the functions of a Minister efficiently and find out the facts first?

Dr. Summerskill

The door of my Department is open to every group of traders and they are always using it.