§ 14. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Minister of Food what dollar purchases for the import of American hog casings have been licensed for 1952; how this amount compares with 1951; and to what extent he consulted the Association of Casing Importers in this matter.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeAs the answer is long and contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonCan the Minister say briefly whether the authorised dollar purchases for 1952 exceed those for 1951?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeFor the whole of 1951, the U.S.A. figure was £1,300,000, as against £1,600,000 for 1952, but this latter figure is not broken down and includes other countries.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonAs that answer reveals that more dollars are to be spent in 1952 than in 1951, will the Minister say to what extent he was guided by the Association of Casings Importers, on the council of which the American meat interests have a predominating voice?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeWe have consulted them all through. The reason why we go to the United States of America and Canada for these commodities is that the alternative supplies, through Europe, are nearly always of lower quality and, although they come from the same source, cost more money. Therefore, we thought that we had better go direct to the market from which they came and thereby pay less for them.
Following is the information:A quota of £1,600,000 was announced on 27th May, 1952, for the period ending 31st December, 1952, for imports of bladders and casings, natural or artificial, from a number of countries including the United States of America, Canada and Guatemala, as well as countries in Western Europe and elsewhere. This quota has been fully licensed, but I cannot say how much will be used for imports from any particular source. During the first five months of 1952, hog casings to the value of £864,000 c.i.f. have been imported from the United States of America. For the whole of 1951, the figure was £1,331,923 c.i.f. In deciding import licensing arrangements, full account has been taken of the views of the Association of Casings Importers.
§ 15. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Minister of Food by how much the price charged by his Department for raw pig gut exceeds the price charged for hog casings imported from the United States of America.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeThese prices are not directly comparable, but the present price charged for raw pig gut of 1s. per set is in line with the ruling market price for hog casings.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonIs it not a fact that the Minister is requiring or imposing 2127 a higher price for the British product, which makes it more difficult for British casings and casings imported from the sterling area to be used instead of American dollar imports?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeThe hon. and gallant Member is a little out of date. It was at the request of the Association, who suggested that the price was high, that it was reduced to its present level of 1s. from 12th July. That is in very close accord with the cost of the finished product.