Food Prices

HC Deb 23 January 1958 vol 580 cc1224-5

2. Mr. Dodds

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the recent substantial price reductions of foodstuffs imported to this country, what action the Government will take, by price control or otherwise, to ensure that in this respect there will be an easing of the burdens of consumers.

Mr. John Hare

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my predecessor on 25th November to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Lewis). Experience during 1957 has shown that the forces of competition can be relied on to translate reductions in import food prices into appropriate retail price reductions.

Mr. Dodds

Does not the Minister understand that he has missed the point? Is the Minister not aware that there have been substantial price reductions of imports in recent weeks, since the date he gave, and that wage increases have not affected them? Is he not aware that, if they really want to do something to keep the cost of living down, now is the time for the Government to take action and not to wait for a few months?

Mr. Hare

Whatever the hon. Member may say, I am sure that every hon. Member is aware that in the shops today flour is down by about ¾d. per lb., bacon by about 9d., cheese by 1s., and so on.

Mr. Willey

Whilst congratulating the right hon. Gentleman on his translation to a very responsible and difficult Ministry, may I beg him not to content himself by replying to Questions in the same terms as his predecessor employed, because that will not do? Does he realise that this is a cardinal, essential problem and that there is no correlation between the fall in import prices of foodstuffs and retail prices, and that so long as there is not that correlation this country will be prejudiced? We hope he will look al this seriously and see that the housewife gets the benefit of the fall in world prices.

Mr. Hare

I am grateful to the hon. Member for the very kind beginning of his supplementary question. I realise my responsibility in my present position to the housewife, as I am also Minister of Food.