§ 34. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Food if he will make known widely to housewives that they will do well to buy 195 eggs for preserving now; and how the present price of eggs in London shops compares with the controlled price a year ago.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI can assure my hon. Friend that every opportunity has been taken to emphasise to housewives the advantage of preserving eggs now while they are plentiful. Retail prices in many London shops are now a little lower than they were a year ago under control.
§ Mr. SnowHas the right hon. and gallant Gentleman by any chance read a comment in last Sunday's "Observer" by a normally well-informed writer named Alison Settle to the effect that it is no use preserving fertile eggs? Is this correct, because, if so, many housewives may be misled?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI think it would be very difficult to avoid doing that on occasion, but I would not know. I believe there were some in the same category before the war, and I can only say that that is normal in purchases of eggs. I think it is probably perfectly safe to leave it to the housewife to know which eggs to preserve, and all that I am anxious to do is to let the housewife know when they are plentiful and suggest that that is the time to do it.
§ Mr. SpeakerSir Waldron Smithers.
§ Mr. SnowOn a point of order. I do not think the right hon. and gallant Gentleman has understood my Question.
§ Mr. SpeakerI cannot say whether he did or not, but we have now passed to the next Question.