HC Deb 16 June 1952 vol 502 cc760-1
15. Mr. Callaghan

asked the Minister of Food what loss his Department incurs in sending English potatoes to Wales for tockfeed; and why he does not sell them to South Wales fish fryers who would prefer to use them instead of Irish potatoes and would pay full controlled price for them.

Major Lloyd George

About £9 per ton, including overheads. Most of these potatoes are sub-standard or in danger of early deterioration and unsuitable for use by fish fryers.

Mr. Callaghan

Does the Minister know that fish fryers in South Wales are ready to pay an additional price to him in order to get hold of these potatoes, which are not unsuitable for public use, and that that would be able to lessen the loss to his Department?

Major Lloyd George

I have explained fully to the hon. Gentleman in a letter which I sent him the other day the difficulties involved. Under the guarantee in the 1947 Act we have to dispose of potatoes, especially from Northern Ireland. It is because of the heavy crop there this year that certain restrictions on the movement of English potatoes have been imposed. I do not think that this is such a hardship as all that, because only one-third of the potatoes consumed in South Wales come from Northern Ireland.

Mr. Callaghan

The Minister has written two letters on this subject. Is it not the position that the Northern Ireland potatoes, while very useful for some things, are not useful for frying? Why should they be concentrated in South Wales? Why should not the fish fryers of South Wales be able to get a fair share of potatoes from other parts of the country for which they are prepared to pay additional money?

Major Lloyd George

I agree that the hon. Gentleman has had two letters from me. The second one was necessary because obviously he did not understand the first. There is no restriction on South Wales fish fryers buying potatoes from outside the restricted area in Britain. The restricted area could not be avoided because of the difficulties which arise this season in Northern Ireland. In any case, South Wales and the South-West of England are the traditional market for Northern Ireland potatoes.