HC Deb 10 November 1958 vol 595 cc8-9
10. Miss Burton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of public disquiet at the considerable difference between prices in the shops and those paid to growers; and if he will look into this problem in so far as fruit and vegetables are concerned.

Mr. John Hare

I am well aware of the constant public interest there is in prices for fruit and vegetables. But the House will remember that the Runciman Committee reached the conclusion that, taking the range of products and the year as a whole, there is no undue spread of prices between grower and shop.

Mr. Nabarro

Hear, hear.

Miss Burton

Is the Minister aware that the ordinary shopper certainly does not agree with that, never mind what the hon. Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro) thinks? May I ask the Minister whether he does not realise that when the price of fruit or vegetables tumbles sharply the reduction is not passed on to the housewife, and why is the Tory Government so tender with the distributive interests?

Mr. Hare

I do not think the hon. Lady should take my hon. Friend the Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro) to task. I know he is able to look after himself, but he is very chivalrous in these matters. All our prejudice and all our suspicion is directed towards the sense of what the hon. Lady has said, but if there is an impartial committee, headed by a chairman of complete impartiality, which after a great deal of study of the matter—this has been gone into before—makes that recommendation, it is hard to disregard the truth of what the experts say.

Mr. Willey

But the right hon. Gentleman will not have forgotten that after an awful amount of procrastination he made a statement on the Report of the Runciman Committee and told the House what he was going to do. When is he going to do this?

Mr. Hare

As the hon. Gentleman knows, that has nothing to do with this Question; but he has a Question on this subject later on the Order Paper. May I, in all sincerity, repeat to the hon. Lady who asked the Question what the Runciman Committee said: The existing system operates steadily over the year without undue cost, and keeps a wide range of produce constantly available in the shops.…The costs of distribution, having regard to the services performed, are not excessive; and the profits of distributors, compared with those in other trades, are not high.

Sir P. Agnew

rose

Mr. Nabarro

Hear, hear. The voice of Worcestershire.

Sir P. Agnew

Can my right hon. Friend give an assurance to the House that he is doing everything possible to encourage the formation of producer marketing schemes, both co-operative and otherwise, in order to make for the more efficient marketing of produce?

Mr. Hare

I can assure my hon. Friend in all sincerity that I am giving considerable thought to all these matters. I hope he will accept the assurance in that spirit.