§ 3. Mr. Nabarroasked the Minister of Food what function is currently performed by the staff of the National Egg Distributors' Association, Limited; what is the total annual cost of salaries and wages of that organisation; and whether he will make a statement in regard to future plans for collection and distribution of home-produced eggs.
§ Mr. WebbSubject to my general direction, this Association is responsible for the collection and distribution of eggs from packing stations or ships, supplying boxes and packing materials, making payments to home packers, arranging transport, inspecting imported eggs and performing certain accounting duties. The total cost of salaries and wages of the staff of the organisation (including industrial staff) for the 12 months ended 31st December, 1949, was £233,708. I have not yet had time to form a view on the arrangements for the collection and distribution of home-produced eggs.
§ Mr. NabarroIs the Minister aware that these arrangements invariably result in eggs arriving at grocers' shops more than four weeks' old and generally in a musty or rotten condition? Will he take steps to investigate whether the distribution can revert to private traders and thereby ensure the arrival of fresh eggs in the shops?