§ 23. Mr. T. Reidasked the Minister of Food the retail prices of typical high-grown and common teas and blends of both before price controls were abolished.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeAs the reply contains a number of figures, I will; with permission, circulate it in the Official Report.
§ Mr. ReidIs it not a fact that the price of tea has gone up enormously since price controls were removed, and as there is a reported shortage of crops 1604 in Assam at present does the Minister intend to allow future tea prices to be decided by demand and supply?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeThat would be a very good idea because we would get these supplies and the choice of what we really want, but there is no connection whatever between the decontrolling and the rise of prices. I have before me the figures for three samples of popular brands. After decontrol, two of these three remained the same and one went down by 4d. a lb. Since then there has been an increase and that is largely due to increased labour costs.
§ Mr. ShinwellIf decontrol had nothing to do with the rise in price why did the right hon. and gallant Gentleman and his friends say, in the past, that control had something to do with the rise in price?
§ Mr. LewisIs the Minister aware that three additional increases in tea prices have already taken place and that it is announced that another 4d. a lb. increase is likely to be put on in the near future? Is this not putting the price of tea out of the range of old-age pensioners? Will he consult the Minister of Pensions to see whether something can be done to help these people by giving them a bonus, similar to the tobacco bonus?
§ Following is the information:
§ The table below sets out the retail prices of three popular blends of tea both before price control was abolished and since:—
| May, | June, | Sept., | Dec, | Nov., | ||||||
| 1952 | 1952 | 1952 | 1952 | 1953 | ||||||
| (a) | (b) | (c) | (d) | (e) | ||||||
| s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | |
| A | 3 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| B | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| C | 3 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| (a) Prior to removal of subsidy. | ||||||||||
| (b) After removal of subsidy. | ||||||||||
| (c) Before decontrol of prices. | ||||||||||
| (d) After decontrol. | ||||||||||
| (e) Latest price. |
§ Supplies of high grown teas such as Darjeeling are limited and Broken Pekoe (common tea) is normally used by blenders as a filler. Retail prices of these teas are not readily ascertainable.