§ 26. Mr. Sydney Irvingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what figure was disclosed as the average weekly household expenditure on fruit in Great Britain in 1955 by the recent inquiry by the National Food Survey Committee.
§ Mr. GodberThree shillings on fresh and quick frozen fruit, and in addition 3s. 5d. on fresh tomatoes, canned and dried fruit, nuts and fruit juices.
§ Mr. IrvingIs the hon. Member aware that those figures show that the consumption of fruit in this country is lower than it was pre-war, and that the statistics of the Food and Agriculture Organisation for the years 1953–1956 show that only two countries in Europe are consuming less fruit per head than we are? Is that not a regrettable state of affairs? What does the hon. Gentleman's Department propose to do to remedy the situation?
§ Mr. GodberOh, no. The only fruit consumption which is less than before the war is that of citrus fruit, for which public demand is less. For the other types of fruit, there has been a substantial increase in consumption.