§ 49. Mr. Willeyasked the Minister of Food the loss sustained by the sale by his Department to foreign traders of stocks of Californian and Australian raisins.
Dr. HillThe sales to which the hon. Member refers were of the residue of old crop Californian and Australian raisins, mostly of poor quality. The only significant figure is the net financial result of the sale of these crops as a whole. It is an overall profit estimated at £600,000.
§ Mr. WilleyIs the Parliamentary Secretary surprised that I regard his reply as completely evasive? We want to know exactly what loss was sustained on these sales. Is he aware that the British traders maintain that the statement made by his hon. Friend when we last raised the subject was inaccurate and that no proper offer was made to the British traders for the sale at those prices?
Dr. HillTaken in isolation, the profit on selling the best sample of a crop would be as misleading as the loss on selling the worst. The only significant figure is that for the crop as a whole, and that is what I have given.
§ Mr. WilleyWill the hon. Gentleman look again at his reply to the main answer and his reply to the supplementary question and give me the figures for which I have asked?