HC Deb 22 November 1956 vol 560 cc1921-2
30. Mr. Dodds

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which of the foodstuffs we import will be affected to a serious degree in respect of supplies as a consequence of the hold-up for shipping in the Suez Canal.

Mr. Amory

I have no reason to suppose that the supplies of any imported foodstuffs will be seriously affected.

Mr. Dodds

As the Parliamentary Secretary last week gave answers which indicated that there would not be any real effect, will the Minister explain to us what all the trouble has been about regarding the Suez Canal? Why was it necessary that we should be branded by the world as aggressors if it was to make no difference to our supplies?

Mr. Amory

I doubt whether that precisely arises from the Question which the hon. Gentleman put down.

Mr. T. Williams

May I ask whether it is not the case that one-fifth of our animal feeding stuffs and human foods came through the Suez Canal last year, and does the right hon. Gentleman's answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Dodds) imply that there has been no increase in the price of either feeding stuffs or human foods?

Mr. Amory

No. To answer the right hon. Gentleman's supplementary question, I would say that I think that the Question dealt with the availability of supplies rather than the cost.