HC Deb 16 April 1956 vol 551 cc669-70
28. Mr. Callaghan

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the principal other business interests of the directors of the Cold Storage Company, charged with the responsibility of managing the Government-owned Cold Store, Cardiff.

Mr. Nugent

Four directors, representing the cold storage industry, have been appointed to the Board of the National Coal Stores (Management) Limited, in addition to those mentioned in reply to a Question by the hon. Member on 27th July last year. They are:

  • Mr. J. Greenwood of Oldham and District Ice Manufacturing and Cold Air Stores Company Limited.
  • Mr. F. H. Hunt of the Western Ice and Cold Storage Company Limited.
  • Mr. R. H. R. Lloyd of the Cardiff Pure Ice and Cold Storage Company Limited.
  • Mr. W. A. P. Milne, M.B.E., of William Milne, Limited.

Mr. Callaghan

Is there any rational reason for appointing the principal competitors of this Government-owned stores to its management committee? Why appoint a poacher to keep the game?

Mr. Nugent

The people selected to serve on the board are experts in the business of cold storage and, as the hon. Member knows, there are two Government-appointed directors who have overriding powers on matters affecting national policy.

Mr. J. Griffiths

Can the Minister give an assurance that some of these people are not interested in keeping the public cold store in Cardiff closed?

Mr. Nugent

The general policy in connection with the operation of this cold store is well known to the right hon. Member and his hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, South-East (Mr. Callaghan). The National Government gave a pledge in 1940 that this store should not be used in competition with commercial interests, and that pledge we intend to carry out. Within that limit the store will be used in the national interest.

Mr. Nabarro

Is not the proper answer to this problem—

Mr. Wigg

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. The hon. Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro) was not called.

Hon. Members

He was.

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Nabarro.

Mr. Nabarro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Is not the proper answer to this whole matter to do away with nationalised cold stores anyway and hand them back to the proper owners, namely, private enterprise?

Several Hon. Members

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order. This question is getting beyond bounds.

Back to