HC Deb 07 February 1949 vol 461 cc21-3
33. Mr. Hurd

asked the Minister of Food if he will publish a further review of the progress of the East African Groundnuts Scheme in similar form to Command Paper 7314 of January, 1948, so that hon. Members may study the facts in anticipation of an early Debate on the future of this scheme.

The Minister of Food (Mr. Strachey)

I am now ready to give the House a full progress report on the East African Groundnuts Scheme on any convenient day that may be chosen for this purpose. I do not, however, think that it would be advisable to issue a special White Paper in advance of the Overseas Food Corporation's regular annual report which will be submitted to Parliament under the provisions of the Overseas Resources Development Act, when the Corporation's accounts have been made up after the end of its first financial year on 31st March next.

Mr. Hurd

Does not the Minister consider that on this occasion it would be an advantage to the House to have full and reliable information about what has already gone on before we proceed to discuss the future of the scheme?

Mr. Strachey

No, Sir, I do not think we should ask these public corporations to issue constant reports. There is a statutory obligation on the Corporation to issue an annual report and that, of course, will be done. The Corporation has not yet been in charge of the scheme for a full calendar year and I think it is premature to ask for a White Paper today. On the other hand, I welcome a Debate on the subject at the earliest possible moment.

Captain Crookshank

The point is not so much for the Corporation to make a report as for the Minister to make a report; therefore, will he not himself consider producing a short White Paper before the Debate in order that the House may have the facts?

Mr. Strachey

I propose to put the facts before the House in the opening speech of that Debate. I think that is the usual and normal procedure.

Mr. Frederic Harris

Is the Minister's diffidence in this affair due to the fact that, originally, the estimates were so inaccurate?

Mr. Strachey

No, Sir. I do not think the House will have to complain of diffidence when I make the speech.

Mr. Drayson

Would the right hon. Gentleman agree that he had sufficient information at his disposal in April last year to publish in "Report to the Nation. No. 15," the fact that groundnuts from the East African scheme would give us more margarine in a few years' time? Can he say specifically what "a few years" referred to and by how much he can increase the margarine ration?

Mr. Strachey

The first contribution to The margarine ration will be made this year from East African supplies, on quite a small scale, of course. Certainly in the first year of the scheme the supplies deriving from it are on a small scale. They will rise year by year from then on. As for the height of the ration, that depends on supplies from this and other sources. The ration has been twice increased.

Mr. Stanley

First, in regard to the statement that a certain amount of margarine has been arriving, will the right hon. Gentleman be prepared to say how much?

Mr. Strachey

No, what I said was that the first contribution to supplies of oils and fats from East Africa will arrive in the course of this year. The groundnuts have been planted in the last few weeks and supplies cannot have arrived already.

Mr. Stanley

Secondly, in view of the fact that this is a very big and complicated scheme, obviously involving a large number of figures, would it not be for the convenience of those who wish to take part in the Debate that the figures should be available before the Debate, rather than announced to the House during the speech of the right hon. Gentleman?

Mr. Strachey

That would involve a White Paper which must be issued, in effect, by the Corporation, or on behalf of the Corporation. That would anticipate its first annual report, and I am not prepared to ask the Corporation to do it.

Mr. Stanley

But if the right hon. Gentleman is prepared to anticipate—and apparently wants to anticipate—the Corporation's annual report in his speech, why is he so diffident about doing it in a White Paper 24 hours before?

Mr. Strachey

The request for a Debate on the subject came from hon. and right hon. Gentlemen opposite and I am prepared, as I think the Leader of the House is prepared, to meet them on the matter, but we do not see any necessity to go further than that.