§ 8. Mr. Osborneasked the Minister of Food how the price of 2 dollars offered under the International Wheat Agreement compares with the price paid for homegrown wheat.
Dr. HillA price of 2 dollars a bushel for No. 1 Northern Manitoba wheat in store in Fort William is at present equivalent to about £32 15s. 9d. a ton landed in this country. The guaranteed average minimum price of home-grown wheat of the 1953 harvest will be £30 15s. a ton at farm. These prices are not strictly comparable owing to differences in quality.
§ Mr. OsborneIn so far as they are comparable, do these figures suggest either that 2 dollars is too much for us to pay for international wheat or that there is no featherbedding of our domestic farmers, as has been suggested so many times by hon. Members opposite?
Dr. HillMy right hon. and gallant Friend made a plain and forthright statement to the House recently on the subject of the wheat agreement. I think I had better leave it at that.
§ Mr. WilleyWhile I fully recognise the difficulties of this agreement and the lack of realism by the wheat producing countries, may I ask whether the hon. Gentleman is not disturbed that we are isolated in this matter and that there seems to be something in the criticism which has been made of us that we are haggling about the wrong price—that we have agreed to the floor price and are haggling about a ceiling price which will probably never become operative?
Dr. HillI believe the whole House will regard the attitude taken by the Government on this issue as right, and I think it would be wise to leave it at that.
§ Mr. S. N. EvansIs the Minister aware that the Government's decision not to feather-bed American farmers as well as the British has given great satisfaction to housewives and taxpayers?