§ 60. Sir Waldron Smithersasked the Minister of Food if, in view of the fact that the British Road Haulage Executive has increased haulage charges by 7½per cent., he will arrange for an increase in merchants' margin price on potatoes, fruit and vegetables to offset this addition.
§ Mr. WebbNo, Sir. The only fruit and vegetable margins controlled by my Department are those for apples, bananas, imported grapes and potatoes other than new potatoes. These margins are kept continually under review and the cost of road transport is only one of the many factors affecting them.
§ Sir W. SmithersDoes the Minister realise that the nationalisation of transport inevitably increases costs, and that distributors are losing money and consumers are suffering, entirely because of Government policy, and through no fault of their own?