HC Deb 19 November 1952 vol 507 cc1850-1
28. Mr. Osborne

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware of the statement in the recent report of the Food and Agriculture Organisation that world food production only increased by 2 per cent. last year, and the world's need for more food has not yet begun to be met; and what estimate he has made of the effect of this situation on British food imports.

Major Lloyd George

The increase of 2 per cent. relates to total agricultural production, excluding the U.S.S.R. Food production is estimated to have remained at the previous year's level. Food imports into this country must depend in the main on what our overseas earnings enable us to afford.

Mr. Osborne

Since the 2 per cent. increase in the world production of food outside Russia is only about equal to the increase in the world population, can my right hon. and gallant Friend make it abundantly clear to the people of this country that there is a great danger that we shall not get as much food in the future as we have had in the past?

Mr. J. Griffiths

In view of these facts to which the Minister's attention has been called by one of his hon. Friends, does this not illustrate the irresponsibility of the promises which were made by some of his hon. Friends at the last Election?

Major Lloyd George

I am not aware of what the right hon. Gentleman has in mind in that matter. No promises of any sort were made. In any case, if it comes to that, meat has been rather more plentiful and better than last year, and many other things are better so far as rationing is concerned. It is nothing whatever to do with that. As the right hon. Gentleman knows much better than I do, a lot of this is due to political disruption in parts of Asia and the East, which has had a tremendous repercussion on crops like rice, and so on.

Mr. Griffiths

Does the right hon. and gallant Gentleman suggest that those who made these promises for the party opposite were not aware that the population of the world has been increasing faster than food production?

Major Lloyd George

There were other things said at the last Election as well, such as the remarks about fingers on triggers. Many of the commodities referred to here do not come into the category of commodities which we wish to have in this country. Many of the great drops in food production in the world are in respect of commodities confined to the part of the world to which I have just referred.