Eggs (Hansard, 17 June 1953)

§ 44. Mr. Willey
asked the Minister of Food what instructions about storage have been given to foreign suppliers of eggs.

§ Major Lloyd George
In April and May we asked Denmark and the Irish Republic to store on our behalf, for varying periods, a proportion of the eggs that they would otherwise have shipped under contract. They are not now putting any eggs into store for us.

§ Mr. Willey
Would not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman agree that we gave the Danes instructions to cancel the storage of eggs at the same time that we gave instructions to the Poles to store eggs? The trade is very discouraged by this lack of efficiency in dealing with eggs and think that if they are to be freed they should be freed from incompetent interference by the Ministry.

§ Major Lloyd George
The fact of the matter is that, contrary to the hon. Gentleman's statement, the Poles are unable to store any eggs. With regard to the supply position, the hon. Gentleman should know by now that there is no shortage of eggs. If all the eggs that have been stored had been released, it would have made a difference of one-eighth of an egg per head per week.

§ Mr. Willey
If it is right that there is no shortage of eggs, why has the price gone up?

§ Major Lloyd George
I should think the hon. Gentleman, with his experience in this office, should know that egg prices vary according to the season.