Food (Strategic Reserves)

HC Deb 09 July 1959 vol 608 c1538

11. Mr. Willey

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the food strategic reserves.

Mr. John Hare

Strategic reserves of food are maintained, but it is not the practice to give information about them.

Mr. Willey

We gathered from the Estimates that the appropriation in aid has fallen. Is this because prices have fallen or because the amounts of stock have fallen? If prices have fallen, will the Minister say why the housewife does not benefit from these falls in prices?

Mr. Hare

If the hon. Gentleman looks fairly at these Estimates, he will see that there has been a very small decline in the net expenditure of about £50,000. If the hon. Gentleman looks at the OFFICIAL REPORT for 23rd July, 1951, he will see that, when he was asked a Question on these lines, he gave a very similar Answer to mine.