Prices

HC Deb 21 February 1955 vol 537 cc864-6

8. Mrs. Mann

asked the Minister of Food when control by order was removed from home-killed and imported meat, butter, margarine, and cooking fat, what trade agreements were negotiated by his Department in regard to retail prices; and, since prices of these have risen substantially since price control ended, if he will seek new trade agreements or reimpose control.

Mr. Amory

Rationing and retail price control of butter, margarine, and cooking fat came to an end on 8th May, and of meat on 4th July, 1954. No trade agreements about retail prices of these foods were negotiated. Butter, margarine, and cooking fat are now available at prices below those under control.

As regards the third part of the Question, to restore price control now would mean a return to all the drawbacks of the take it or leave it system of allocation and rationing.

Mrs. Mann

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that butter, in 1951, was 2s. 6d. per lb., that then, when it was derationed, it was 3s. 4d., and that today it is anything between 3s. l0d. and 4s. 2d. per lb.? Is he aware that, due to the in crease in the index figure of the cost of living, the iron and steel workers in my constituency, whose earnings are tied to the cost of living, have had an increase in their wages? The inference is, there fore, that the prices of iron and steel are bound to go up, because the right hon. Gentleman is closing his eyes, is adopting a do-nothing policy, which means that——

Hon. Members

Question.

Mr. Speaker

Order. These supplementary questions are really very long.

Mr. Amory

I think I must remind the hon. Lady that the cost of living has gone up very much less in the last three years.

22. Mr. G. Jeger

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the continuous rise in food prices since October, 1951; and whether he will hold an inquiry into causes of these increases and the possibility of reducing food prices to their 1951 levels.

Mr. Amory

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend on 14th February to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Lewis). I do not think that an inquiry would serve any useful purpose.

Mr. Jeger

I understand that the Minister accepts no responsibility for the rise in prices, but will he not explain to the House that he is as concerned as we are about these rises in prices since 1951, particularly in view of the Election pledges which placed him and his colleagues on that side of the House? Would he not welcome the opportunity of putting the blame where it really belongs, which is what this inquiry would do?

Mr. Amory

I am always concerned at increases in prices, but I would point out to the hon. Gentleman that the standard of living in this country has risen in the last three years.

Captain Pilkington

Would my right hon. Friend say how the continuous rise of prices since 1951 compares with the continuous rise of prices under the previous Administration?

23. Mr. Warbey

asked the Minister of Food which principal foodstuffs as included in the cost-of-living index have decreased in price since October, 1951, and by what percentage in each case; and which have increased in price since October, 1951, and by what percentage in each case.

Mr. Amory

I would refer the hon. Member to the figures published quarterly in the Ministry of Labour Gazette on the basis set out in paragraph 84 of the Report of the Cost of Living Advisory Committee (Cmd. 8481). The last set of figures were published in November, 1954, and the next should be available in March.

Mr. Warbey

Why is the right hon. Gentleman afraid to give these figures plainly to the House? Is it because they would reveal how lamentably the Government have failed to carry out their promises to keep down the cost of living?

Mr. Amory

I am always glad to answer Questions if they are going to supplement information which is available, but where the information is already available I am not sure that it would be right to take up the time of the House in giving it.

Mr. H. Morrison

Would it not have taken the right hon. Gentleman no more time specifically to have answered my hon. Friend's Question than it took for this elaborate course of evasion in order that he should not have to give the crude facts to the House?

Mr. Amory

I would agree that some of the Questions are taking rather longer to dispose of than I had hoped.