HC Deb 25 February 1952 vol 496 cc686-8
10. Miss Burton

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the price of rabbits in the shops of Coventry averages 6s. to 7s. 6d. for a medium-sized rabbit, namely, 2s. to 2s. 6d. per pound; and what steps he proposes to take to deal with the situation.

26. Mr. Lewis

asked the Minister of Food whether he will introduce price control on the selling price of fish, rabbits and poultry during the period of the import cuts.

32. Mr. Leslie Hale

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that fish prices reached new record high levels in January, 1952; and whether he will reconsider the question of controlling the price of fish.

Major Lloyd George

With permission I will answer these Questions together.

Mr. Hale

On a point of order. Is it not an innovation in the procedure of the House to couple a Question about fish with other Questions under the designation of rabbits?

Mr. Speaker

The genera do seem to be distinct but perhaps the answer will resolve the difficulty.

Major Lloyd George

I would refer the hon. Members to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Islington, South-West (Mr. A. Evans) and the hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Morley) on 12th November. I do not think it would benefit the consumer to re-impose price controls over these commodities.

Miss Burton

Does the right hon. and gallant Gentleman realise that the answer of the fish traders to the suggestion was that if one controlled the price of fish the fish would then disappear? Does he approve of the ethics of such a situation? Will he deal with the matter?

Major Lloyd George

I do not know about the ethics, but I have to face facts as they are—which is not a bad thing to do sometimes, if I may say so. Experience has shown that that is what does happen, and I would remind the hon. Lady that the late Government took off control for the reason that the fish was neither better in quantity nor in quality as a result of control.

Sir Waldron Smithers

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend not aware that not even he can, with impunity, defy the law of supply and demand and that he cannot produce rabbits out of a hat?

Mr. Lewis

Is not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that the last Government did successfully control the price of fish and that during the last war price control proved very satisfactory? In view of the fact that my Question deals with poultry will he give an answer to that, because the birds do not fly away?

Major Lloyd George

I do not know about flying, but the same thing applies to poultry, fish and rabbits. When there is control they disappear.

Mr. Hale

On a point of order. My Question, which is a very important one, refers specifically to fish and to the facts of the situation as they were in January last. Could I seek your guidance, Mr. Speaker, as to whether, if the Minister is allowed to go over the whole range of prices in one answer, I can question him about the price of steel about which we are all concerned at the moment?

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member cannot go as far as that.

Major Lloyd George

With regard to the new high record levels in January, I am going to refer to the price in February, which was less than half the price of January. The main reason for the high price in January was the conditions under which the fish had to be caught. Out of 42 days in that period, gale warnings were issued on 31 days.

Air Commodore A. V. Harvey

Will my right hon. and gallant Friend invite the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Hale) and the hon. Member for Coventry, South (Miss Burton) to go to the White Sea in a deep-sea fishing vessel and see the difficulties of catching and landing fish? If he would do so I should like to arrange the visit for them.

Mr. Hale

Would the right hon. and gallant Gentleman like to take the risk of standing in a housewives' queue when they are buying fish on the limited income they have at the moment?

Miss Burton

Is the Minister and his hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Air Commodore Harvey) aware that one does not go to the North Sea to catch rabbits? Might I also ask whether, if the Minister of Food went to the Argentine to get red meat the price of rabbits would come down?