§ 1. Mr. Haleasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the numbers of marketing inspectors at present employed by his Department; the nature of their duties; and the range of salaries paid.
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. D. Heathcoat Amory)As the reply includes several tables of 960 figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. HaleBut as the Question is based on a statement made by the Minister himself, is it really true that we still employ a horde of inspectors to wander round from Oswaldtwistle to Middle Wallop to find out whether the prices of potatoes are above or below par, and is he aware that a lot of this information is circulated by the newspapers every day and by the weeklies every week?
Mr. AmoryNo, Sir. The normal duties of my marketing officers are concerned with wholesale marketing and the technical aspects of the Agricultural Marketing Acts, and also with the administration of the fatstock guarantees. It is only exceptionally, and very seldom, that they are used in connection with retail prices.
§ Mr. WilleyCan the right hon. Gentleman now answer a question which I have asked before? Under what authority does he engage and employ these officers?
Mr. AmoryI do not remember the hon. Gentleman asking me that, but I do not think that I require any specific authority. These duties have to be carried out, as I have explained, in connection with the Agricultural Marketing Acts.
§ The following is the information:
| 1. MARKETING OFFICERS | |||
| Employed on technical aspects of the administration of the Agricultural Marketing Acts, and grading, standardisation and packaging of produce. | |||
| Grade | Number | Salary Scale | |
| Marketing Officer I | … | 2 | £1,260–£1,670 |
| Marketing Officer II | … | 3 | £1,100–£1,260 |
| Marketing Officer III | … | 9 | £655–£1,100 |
| FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES OFFICERS | |||
| Visit markets to obtain information about wholesale prices, quality, supply and demand of home-grown and imported fruit and vegetables; and deal with questions about grading. | |||
| Grade | Number | Salary Scale | |
| Senior Area Officer | … | 5 | £830–£995 |
| Area Officer | … | 5 | £.665–£830 |
| Assistant Area Officer | … | 3 | £515–£745 |
| FATSTOCK MARKETS OFFICERS | |||
| Concerned with market facilities, the conduct of sales, and the certification of sales in connection with the Fatstock Guarantee Scheme. | |||
| Grade | Number | Salary Scale | |
| Chief Markets Officer | … | 1 | £1,510–£1,660 |
| Deputy Chief Markets Officer | — | 1 | £1,260–£1,510 |
| Area Markets Officer | … | 7 | £1,030–£1,230 |
| District Markets Officer | … | 36 | £830–£995 |
| LIVESTOCK INSPECTORS | ||
| Responsible for the marking and elegibility of cattle, sheep and pigs under the Fatstock Guarantee Scheme. | ||
| Grade | Number | Salary Scale |
| Chief Livestock Inspector | 1 | £1,510–£1,660 |
| Deputy Chief Livestock Inspector | 1 | £1,260–£1,510 |
| Area Livestock Inspector | 6 | |
| Senior Trade Officer | 1 | £1,030–£1,230 |
| District Livestock Inspector | 55 | £830–£995 |
§ 2. Mr. Haleasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many calls have been made by his marketing inspectors at shops for the purpose of ascertaining the price of potatoes and other vegetables during the period of six months to the most recent convenient date; and what is the estimated cost charged to the public for this operation.
Mr. AmoryMy staff of marketing officers is not normally concerned with retail prices. But during May the retail prices of potatoes were surveyed, the total number of observations being about 1,200. No special costs were incurred.
§ Mr. HaleOne thousand two hundred observations on shops selling potatoes would not convey a very impressive picture of the whole of the operations in the country and, as it was the Minister himself who volunteered this information to the House, may I ask him whether he is aware that, when a Labour Government were in office, these services were done voluntarily by the Housewives' League? Could he not now seek the voluntary help of the League of Empire Loyalists, who might be more profitably engaged on that occupation?
§ Mr. J. GriffithsHas the right hon. Gentleman any knowledge of what happened to the Housewives' League?