HC Deb 20 October 1952 vol 505 cc687-8
30. Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

asked the Minister of Food if he will control the present selling price of English prunes.

Major Lloyd George

No, Sir.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Is the Minister aware that at the present price of 3s. a 1b. English prunes cost three times as much as the imported foreign ones? Will he do something to prevent the English consumer from being frightened off the consumption of English prunes?

Major Lloyd George

I thought the hon. and gallant Gentleman would be rather pleased that we made an experiment at all. There are no imported prunes here now, and if it had not been that we took the control off it would not have been possible to make this experiment which, in the initial stages, is fairly expensive.

Mr. Nabarro

Would the Minister bear in mind that in experiments conducted in Worcestershire and Warwickshire only 30,000 lbs. of prunes were produced this year, that it is the beginning of a new industry, and that at the rate of 120 fruits per lb. and 12 fruits per breakfast dish that dish costs only 4d., which is very reasonable?

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