§ 16. Mrs. Castleasked the Minister of Food at what price for each grade he has contracted to buy Polish and Danish eggs to be shipped to the United Kingdom during May and June, respectively; and at what price he is selling these eggs to the first-hand distributor.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeIt would be contrary to practice to disclose the prices we pay to individual overseas suppliers. These eggs are sold in free market conditions and the prices, therefore, vary. I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the prices realised from 1st May.
§ Mrs. CastleIs it not a fact that the Ministry of Food have been buying Polish eggs at 2¼d. each and selling them to the trade at between 4d. and 4½d. each; and if the right hon. Gentleman really believes in a free market in eggs, as he claims, can he explain why he is thus rigging the market in imported eggs against the housewife?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI do not accept anything of the sort. I must repeat to the hon. Lady that it would be not only contrary to practice to disclose the price I pay, but contrary to the express conditions asked for by some of the exporting countries.
§ Mrs. CastleIf the right hon. Gentleman will not give us the individual prices he pays, will he at least let the House know what profit he is making on this transaction at the expense of the housewife?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeIf I did it would not take a very clever person to work out what the price was. I must stand by my original answer, which is the answer given by every Minister of Food since there was one.
§ Mr. AsshetonHas not the hon. Lady drawn attention to some of the dangers of State trading?
§ Following is the information:
1675| Ministry's realised prices for Polish and Danish Eggs from 1st May, 1953 Polish eggs (per 120 eggs ex quay port of arrival) | ||||||||||
| 1b. per 120 | From 1st to 3rd May | From 4th to 10May | 11th May | From 12th to 14th May | 15th May | |||||
| lb. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. |
| 17 | 38 | 6 | 41 | 6 | 40 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| 16 | 34 | 6 | 39 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| 15 | 34 | 6 | 39 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| 13½ | 30 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 29 | 0 |