§ 6. Mr. Dribergasked the Minister of Food if he will make a statement detailing the various bulk-purchase contracts entered into by his Department since 1945, with particulars of the duration of such contracts and the price-revision clauses contained therein.
§ Mr. WebbWith permission, I will circulate the answer in the OFFICIAL REPORT, as it is rather long.
§ Mr. DribergOf course, I gladly give my right hon. Friend the permission he asks to save the time of the House, but
| LONG TERM PURCHASE CONTRACTS MADE SINCE 1ST JANUARY, 1945 | ||||||
| [Contracts included are those covering at least two years] | ||||||
| Commodity and Country | Period | Provisions for Price Review | ||||
| WHEAT AND FLOUR: | ||||||
| Canada | … | … | 1st August, 1946–31st July, 1950 | … | Prices fixed for first two years; annual review for third and fourth years. | |
| Meat: | ||||||
| New Zeland | … | *1st October, 1944–30th september, 1948 | Annual review. | |||
| 1st October, 1948–30th September, 1955 | Annual review within agreed limits of variation. | |||||
| Australia | … | … | *1st october, 1944–30th September, 1948 extended to 30th September, 1950 | Annual review except that beef prices have been fixed for two years to 30th September, 1951. Discussions are in progress regarding future arrangements. | ||
| Argentina | … | … | *1st October, 1944–30th September, 1948 Re-negotiated in 1946 and extended to 1950. | Annual review. | ||
| 1st October, 1946–30th September, 1950 Replaced by purchase under Andes Agreement in February, 1948 and subsequently by current five-year contract. | Annual review after first two years. | |||||
| 1st July, 1949–30th June, 1954 | … | … | Annual review. | |||
| Uruguay | … | … | 1st October, 1944–30th September, 1948 Re-negotiated in 1946 and extended to 1950. | Annual review. | ||
| 1st October, 1946–30th September, 1950 Replaced by one year agreement in February, 1948. | Annual review after first two years. | |||||
| 1st July, 1949–30th June, 1954 | … | … | Annual review. | |||
| Chile | … | … | *1st October, 1944–30th September, 1948 | Annual review. | ||
| Brazil | … | … | *1st October, 1944–30th September, 1948 | Annual review. | ||
| Paraguay | … | … | *1st October, 1944–30th September, 1948 | It was agreed in 1946 that prices should be reviewed annually. | ||
| Guatemala | … | … | 1st August, 1947–31st August, 1950 terminated 11th September, 1949. | Quartely review. | ||
| BACON | ||||||
| Denmark | … | … | 1st October, 1948–30th September, 1952 | Annual review within agreed limits of variation. | ||
| Holland | … | … | 1st January, 1949–31st December, 1952 | Annual review within agreed limits of variation. | ||
| Poland | … | … | 1st January, 1949–31st December, 1953 | Annual review within agreed limits of variation. | ||
| Canada | … | … | 1st January, 1947–31st December, 1948 | |||
| *Though running from 1st October, 1944 these contrcts were negotiated and signed after 1st January, 1945. |
§ may I point out to him—[HON. MEMBERS: "No"] I may, on a point of Order. May I point out with respect, Mr. Speaker, that if I had not given this permission the Minister of Food would have been reading out his answer for the rest of Question Time?
§ Mr. Arthur ColegateWould the right hon. Gentleman say whether any part of the terms of the bulk purchase contracts have been worsened for us by ill-advised Ministerial comment on the countries concerned?
§ Following is the statement:
11| Commodity and Country | Period | Provisions for Price Review | |||
| EGGS: | |||||
| Australia (Eggs in shell and egg products). | 1st July, 1947–30th June, 1950 Replaced in 1948 by current five year contract. | Annual review. | |||
| 1st July, 1948–30th June, 1953 | … | … | Annual review within agreed limits of variation. | ||
| Canada (Eggs in shell and egg products). | 1st February, 1947–31st January, 1949 | … | Prices subject to review at request of either contracting party in the light of any significant change in costs. | ||
| Eire (Eggs in shell) | … | 1st February, 1947–31st January, 1950 Revised under Trade Agreement of 31st July, 1948. | |||
| 1st February, 1948–31st January, 1951 Replaced in 1949 by current three year contract. | |||||
| 1st February, 1949–31st January, 1952 | Prices agreed for first two years; prices for third year to be agreed. | ||||
| Holland (Eggs in shell). | 14th February, 1949–31st January, 1952 extended to 31st January, 1953. | Annual review. | |||
| Denmark (Eggs in shell). | 1st October, 1947–30th September, 1950 extended to 30th September, 1951. | Annual review. | |||
| Poland (Eggs in shell) | 1st March, 1949–31st January, 1954 | … | Annual review. | ||
| Poland (Egg products). | 1st March, 1949–31st January, 1954 | … | Prices agreed for first two years; thereafter, annual review. | ||
| MILK PRODUCTS: | |||||
| *Australia (Butter and Cheese). | 1st July, 1948–30th June, 1955 | … | … | Annual review within agreed limits of variation. | |
| *New Zealand (Butter and Cheese). | 1st August, 1948–31st July, 1955 | … | Annual review within agreed limits of variation. | ||
| New Zealand (Evaporated Milk). | 1st August, 1944–31st July, 1948 Originally extended to 31st July, 1950 but replaced by current three year contract. | Annual review after first two years. | |||
| 1st August, 1949–31st July, 1952 | … | Annual review. | |||
| New Zealand (Milk Powder). | 1st August, 1944–31st July, 1948 Originally extended to 31st July, 1950 but replaced by current six year contract. | Annual review after first two years. | |||
| 1st August, 1949–31st July, 1955 | … | Annual review within agreed limits of variation. | |||
| Denmark (Butter) | … | 1st October, 1949–30th September, 1955 | Annual review within agreed limits of variation. | ||
| SUGAR: | |||||
| Australia | … | … | 1st January, 1948–31st December, 1952 | Annual review. | |
| South Africa | … | ||||
| British West Indies | … | ||||
| British Guiana | … | ||||
| Fiji | … | … | … | ||
| British East Africa | … | ||||
| Mauritius | … | … | |||
| OILS AND FATS: | |||||
| Ceylon (Copra and Coconut Oil). | 1st January, 1946–31st December, 1950 Replaced in 1948 by current contract. | ||||
| 1st July, 1948–31st December, 1950 | … | Price for 1950 to be negotiated within agreed limits. | |||
| Zanzibar (Copra and Coconut Oil). | 1st January, 1949–31st December, 1951 | Annual review with an agreed floor price. | |||
| Malaya (Palm Oil) | … | 1st July, 1946–31st December, 1950 Replaced by current contract. | Annual review. | ||
| 1st January, 1950–31st December, 1952 | Annual review. | ||||
| Fiji (Copra and Coconut Oil). | 1st January, 1949–31st December, 1957 | Annual review within agreed limits of variation. | |||
| Seychelles (Copra) | 1st January, 1949–31st December, 1951 (Now lapsed). | Annual review subject to an agreed floor price. | |||
| Malaya (Copra) | … | 1st July, 1949–30th June, 1953 | … | … | Annual review within agreed limits of variation. |
| * Succeeded original contracts running from 1st August, 1944 to 31st July, 1948. |