§ 45. Mr. Chapmanasked the Minister of Food what increased supplies of sugar he is giving to the manufacturers in order that, following the end of rationing, there will be adequate supplies of sweets.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeAbout 9,000 tons, the quantity which was saved from last year's manufacturing allocations as a whole.
§ Mr. ChapmanCan the Minister give to the trade any assurance that there will be increased supplies of sugar if the shops 413 run out of sweets? Has the right hon. and gallant Gentleman given that assurance, and if so, from where has he got the dollars?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeThe Question I have answered is the one on the Order Paper. The 9,000 tons was a saving from their allocation last year—a once-for-all issue, which was deliberately made to meet the initial shock of de-rationing. and which I am perfectly certain will be more than ample.
§ 46. Mr. Chapmanasked the Minister of Food what steps he took before he ended the price control and rationing of sweets to ensure that there would be adequate supplies of at least some types of sweets at prices no higher than those ruling before de-rationing; and what assurances he received from the trade in this respect.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeNo formal assurances about prices were sought, but I am satisfied that competition will tend to keep prices down.
§ Mr. ChapmanDoes the right hon. and gallant Gentleman mean to tell the House that when he came to de-ration sweets he never even asked the retailers or the producers for an assurance that the children of this country would get sweets at the same sort of price? Did he really throw all caution to the winds when he de-rationed sweets?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI have much more confidence in this trade than the hon. Gentleman. I am certain, from what I know of the trade and the competition in it, that there is nothing to fear at all.
§ Mr. NabarroIs my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that the de-rationing of sweets has proceeded very smoothly and has belied all the wretched prognostications of hon. Gentlemen opposite?