§ 52. Mr. Henry Usborneasked the Minister of Food if he is aware of the widespread disappointment at the Government's failure to support the proposals for a world food board, as advanced by Lord Boyd-Orr in 1946; and what instructions have been given to the British delegation to the Food and Agricultural Organisation Conference in Washington on 21st November on the proposals for an International Commodity Clearing House with a 500 million dollar capital.
§ Dr. SummerskillThe answer to the first part of the Question is No, Sir. As regards the second, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, will be leading the United Kingdom delegation to the forthcoming Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, and copies of any speech which he may make to the Conference will be made available to the House in due course.
§ Mr. UsborneDoes my right hon. Friend realise that the proposals of the International Commodity Clearing House, if accepted, would put immense power into the hands of a body which is unrepresentative not only of public opinion, but also of consumers' demands? Would it not be far better to accept the proposals which were originally made for a world food board or something like that?
§ Dr. SummerskillI can assure my hon. Friend that we have carefully considered the proposals. There are certain features of which we do not approve, and I think my hon. Friend will agree that it is desirable to give my right hon. Friend a free hand during negotiations.
§ Captain CrookshankIf there is to be a meeting of the Food and Agricultural Organisation, how is it that neither the Minister of Food nor the Minister of Agriculture is to go, whereas the President of the Board of Trade is to go, and he seems to have nothing to do with it?
§ Dr. SummerskillMy right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade will be in the United States during that period and, no doubt, the right hon. and gallant Gentleman will recall that he did represent us once before. As to the Ministry of Agriculture, an official is going from there.
§ Captain CrookshankAnd the Ministry of Food?
§ Dr. SummerskillYes.
§ Mr. WarbeyReverting to my right hon. Friend's reply to the original Question, when she says that copies of the speeches will be made available to hon. Members, does she mean that they will be made specially available or that we shall have to wait the usual two or three months before we receive the reports through the United Nations organisation?
§ Dr. SummerskillIf my hon. Friend cares to put down another Question on that point later I shall perhaps be able to see that copies are made available in the Library.
§ Brigadier HeadIs the right hon. Lady aware that the British public are fed-up with food boards but not with food?