HC Deb 17 July 1950 vol 477 c1839
20. Mr. Watkinson

asked the Minister of Food why permission for the sale of sugar confectionery cannot now be granted where a demand can be proved.

Mr. F. Willey

At present we can only grant new licences for the sale of chocolate and sweets where the local people are finding it difficult to obtain their ration. This is because the number of potential new entrants to this trade is so large that I cannot afford to provide initial trading stocks for them all.

Mr. Watkinson

Would the Parliamentary Secretary tell the House for how long this bureaucratic barrier between the ordinary small tradesmen earning a living is to remain? Is it to be a permanent feature of his Ministry?

Mr. Wiley

This is not a bureaucratic barrier. It is a matter of striking a balance between consumer demand and the amount of the ration.

Sir Herbert Williams

Why are we allowing the Swiss to have so much more sugar of our manufacture than we are getting ourselves?