§ 6. Brigadier Medlicottasked the President of the Board of Trade what imports of apples, in value and weight, are due to be received from Yugloslavia during the current year, and if the amount so to be imported is included in or is additional to the season's quota for all overseas countries already announced.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftOur current trade arrangements with Yugoslavia permit the 349 import of up to £60,000 of apples during 1953. These imports are additional to the announced global quota, which covers imports only from those Western European and other non-sterling countries from which, until November, 1951, apples were imported under open general licence.
§ Brigadier MedlicottIs the Minister aware that home growers of apples are disturbed when quotas are exceeded? Could we have an assurance that, generally speaking, once the quota for a particular season has been fixed, it will not be exceeded except for very special reasons?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThis quota is no more than that for last year, and last year's quota was certainly not exceeded In fact, the quantity of apples received under it was rather less.
§ Mr. BottomleyWould not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the constant pressure exerted by hon. Members opposite to restrict trade with other countries will, in turn, affect exports from this country? Is not that a bad thing?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI think it is quite proper for hon. Members whose constituencies have particular interests to put those interests to the Minister concerned.
§ Brigadier MedlicottIs my right hon. Friend aware that my Question is in no sense directed towards a restriction of trade, but purely to the desirability that quotas should remain constant once they have been fixed so that home growers may know what is expected of them?
§ Mr. MellishIs it not about time that on a question of this kind our own people should reduce the price of their commodities so that housewives can get them cheaper?