§ 14. Sir I. Fraserasked the Minister of Food if he will now make a statement about the marketing of eggs.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Coventry, South (Miss Burton) on 17th November.
§ Sir I. FraserWill my right hon. and gallant Friend have in mind that in this country most of the people have grown up now and that it is a good thing for them to have the choice of whether they want to spend their money on eggs or football pools or cigarettes, and that if he will allow the law of supply and demand to operate he will, within a very short time, get more eggs at lower prices?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeAll that is borne in mind. I hope to make a statement very shortly.
§ 15. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Minister of Food whether he will ensure that eggs are not de-rationed until adequate supplies are available.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI would ask the hon. and gallant Member to await a statement which I hope to be able to make shortly.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonDoes that answer mean that the right hon. and gallant Gentleman actually contemplates the possibility of de-controlling the sale of eggs at the present time when adequate supplies are not available? If so, he will earn the approbrium of being the first Minister to put a 10d. egg on the market, which will be a very cruel depredation.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeThe hon. and gallant Gentleman had better still wait to hear what I have to say, but I rather gather that he is in favour of getting rid of controls.
§ Sir W. SmithersWhen will the Minister and hon. Members and the public realise that controls are the cause of shortages, and that if we restrict consumption we restrict production? We cannot effectively ration eggs. They will always be sold on what is called the "black market"—and good luck to them.
§ 23 and 25. Mr. Burdenasked the Minister of Food (1) the present cost per annum of the egg scheme;
(2) how many persons are employed in carrying on the egg scheme.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Mr. Hurd) on 30th October.
§ Mr. BurdenIs the Minister really convinced that this scheme is now necessary or serving a useful purpose?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI would ask my hon. Friend to await the statement.
§ 24. Mr. Burdenasked the Minister of Food the average estimated delay under the egg scheme from the time the eggs leave the farm until they are bought by the consumer.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeBetween 12 and 14 days, including the 10 days during which the eggs may be in the hands of the retailer or the wholesaler, or in transit.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonWill the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say why, whenever I have asked a question recently on the subject of eggs, he has made a statement to the effect that I am in favour of de-controlling the sale of eggs? What authority has he for making that statement?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI was under the impression that the hon. and gallant Gentleman had said that.