Fruit and Vegetables (Distribution) (Hansard, 30 July 1951)

§ 9 and 10. Miss Burton
asked the Minister of Food (1) when he expects to be in a position to announce the action to be taken by the Government on the distribution of home-grown fruit and vegetables;
(2) when he will be in a position to announce the findings of the inquiries concerning distribution of actual consignments of lettuces and other vegetables as carried out by his Department prior to 11th May last.

Mr. Willey
With permission, I will answer this Question and Question No. 10 together.

§ Miss Burton
On a point of order. May I have the answers to these Questions separately?

§ Mr. F. Willey
My right hon. Friend has nothing to add to the replies to Questions on the same subjects given to the hon. Lady on 16th July.

§ Miss Burton
Does the Parliamentary Secretary recall that these two Questions are not the same? The Question a fortnight ago was to ask the Minister if he was in a position to make a statement. This one only asks when. Furthermore, does the Parliamentary Secretary realise that the Government have been working on these problems for four years now, and that on Friday last I gave him information about growers in Warwickshire ploughing in cabbages and lettuces because they 932 could not get a halfpenny for them? Will he now expedite the reply?

§ Mr. Willey
The reason why I was asking permission to answer these two Questions together was not that the Questions are the same, but that the answers are the same. In answer to my hon. Friend's supplementary, may I say that I am sure she will recollect the discussion of last Friday and will not expect me to add to what I then said.

§ Mr. Pannell
Is it not impossible for there to be any intelligent distribution of fruit and vegetables in the Metropolis, bearing in mind the chaotic arrangements at Spitalfields and Covent Garden?

§ Mr. Willey
I would not say that it is impossible, but it is difficult.

§ Mr. John Rodgers
May I ask the hon. Gentleman how, if the answers are the same, the reply is different?

§ Mr. Willey
The answer to Question No. 10 is: My right hon. Friend has nothing to add to the replies to Questions on the same subjects given to the hon. Lady on 16th July.

§ Miss Burton
The Ministry of Food really is impossible. Does my hon. Friend realise that this inquiry was commenced more than 11 weeks ago and that, at the outside, it takes only three days for lettuces to go from the growers to the shops? Is he going to give us an answer when lettuces are no longer available?

§ Mr. Willey
whatever else the Ministry of Food may be, it is not impossible. In answer to my hon. Friend's second supplementary, I would refer her to the reply I gave on Friday last.

§ Mr. Ellis Smith
does not my hon. Friend agree that the system of distribution of the commodities mentioned is really out of date and that a terrible indictment can be built up against the lack of organisation? In view of the serious position in which the country is at the present, and in view of the promise given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer the other day, does he not think that action should be taken as soon as possible?

§ Mr. Willey
The fact that this field of distribution is not altogether satisfactory is implicit in what my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer said on Thursday last.