HC Deb 19 October 1950 vol 478 cc2225-6
51. Mr. Bossom

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has yet been able to arrange for farmers to obtain the necessary material to pack and crate their fruit so that it will compare with the packing and crating of fruit that is imported.

Mr. G. Brown

Materials for packing fruit are difficult to obtain at present, but my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade assures me that every effort will be made to ensure that supplies of veneer chip baskets or cardboard containers for horticultural products and of softwood for returnable boxes will be available in 1951 to the same extent as in 1950.

Mr. Bossom

Does not the Minister realise that his failure to provide this material for farmers is doing a serious disservice to them and that he should do something about it? He has been warned many times.

Mr. Brown

It is quite obvious that that supplementary question was drafted before the hon. Gentleman heard my reply.