Bacon

HC Deb 05 March 1956 vol 549 cc1682-4

7. Miss Burton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is now in a position to make a statement concerning the talks on the Anglo-Danish bacon agreement resumed at the Ministry of Agriculture on 27th February.

Mr. Amory

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Board of Trade on 27th February last.

Miss Burton

Yes, but is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that this is a vicious circle? Is he aware that the Minister of State, Board of Trade, said that Questions referring to food prices should be addressed to the right hon. Gentleman? By how much does the right hon. Gentleman expect this tariff to increase the price of bacon to the consumer?

Mr. Amory

It is very difficult to say when one is looking nine months or so ahead. If this were happening tomorrow, I should not expect it to have any appreciable effect on the price of bacon to the consumer, but it is difficult to say whether the cost of the tariff will be paid by the consumer or the importer, or in what proportion by either, because it all depends on the relative strength of the market at the time.

Mr. Willey

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that this is a thoroughly unsatisfactory reply? We know that this is not going to happen tomorrow, but in October. Surely the right hon. Gentleman ought to know what effect it will have on retail prices and be able to inform the House, otherwise he was running a grave risk in coming to this thoroughly unsatisfactory agreement.

Mr. Amory

If the hon. Gentleman can tell me what the strength of the market will be in October, I might then be able to give an indication of the effect of the tariff.

Mr. Shinwell

Has the right hon. Gentleman not forgotten Protectionist theories, and will he tell us what is the purpose of the tariff?

Mr. Amory

I am quite satisfied, as between the various alternatives, that the proposal to have a tariff is one which is in the best interests of the country and, I believe, in the long run, of the consumer.

16. Mr. Hurd

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how nearly the wholesale market prices for English bacon have approached those for Danish bacon in the past year; and if he will consider requiring the branding of English bacon according to grade so that consumers may recognise the best quality.

Mr. Amory

For about four months during the past year there was no difference in the wholesale price quotations of English and Danish bacon. For the purpose of first-hand sales whole bacon sides, both English and imported, are graded according to external fat measurements. A significant factor so far as the consumer is concerned is the proportion of lean, and this cannot be accurately assessed until the bacon is cut.

Mr. Hurd

Does my right hon. Friend recognise that there has been a marked improvement in the quality of British bacon in the last year or two, and will he say, in answer to the second part of the Question, on which he has not given us any advice, whether it is possible to let the housewife know the quality of British bacon which she is buying?

Mr. Amory

As regards the first part of the supplementary question, I agree that there has been a notable increase in the average quality of home-produced bacon. As to the second part of the question, the problem is that quality from the point of view of the consumer cannot really be assessed until the whole side of the bacon is cut. That is the difficulty in marking it in a way which would indicate quality to the consumer before it is cut.

Miss Burton

is the Minister aware that whilst there may have been an improvement in quality, there has been a decided increase in the price of bacon over the past two years, and is he prepared to look at that again?

Mr. Amory

I do not think that bacon is at all bad value at its present price.

22. Mr. A. Roberts

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect he estimates that the bacon agreement with Denmark will have on the production of bacon by the British farmer.

Mr. Amory

I do not think it likely that the new arrangements governing the import of bacon will have any substantial effect on the production of pigs by the British farmer which is dependent on a number of factors including in particular the guarantee provided under the Agriculture Act, 1947.

Mr. Roberts

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that it will mean less bacon at an increased price?

Mr. Amory

I very much hope not.