HC Deb 09 June 1964 vol 696 cc235-6
Q4. Mr. Thorpe

asked the Prime Minister whether, to allay widespread anxiety over margins charged in the meat distributing trade, he will instruct the President of the Board of Trade to consult the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with a view to publishing simultaneously each week the retail prices of meat already collected weekly by the Ministry of Labour in 200 centres of population, and the wholesale prices of meat collected by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

The Prime Minister

In its report to Agriculture Ministers last February the Verdon Smith Committee stated that it could find no evidence that margins in the wholesale or retail meat trades in the period 1958–62 as a whole had been excessive. The price comparisons suggested by the hon. Member would add no useful information, since the statistical series he refers to are not really comparable and neither is satisfactory for this particular purpose.

Mr. Thorpe

Is not the Prime Minister aware that it reached that conclusion because paragraph 487 of the Verdon Smith Report said that there was no adequate evidence available? Is not that the reason why it was not able to draw any conclusion? Does not the Prime Minister agree that the more information available about profit margins in this trade the greater the protection for the consumer against extortion? In view of the valuable work which the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Labour are doing in collecting particulars of wholesale and retail prices, is not this a sphere in which the Government could give valuable assistance and guidance to consumers?

The Prime Minister

I am certain that my right hon. Friend is always willing to consider whether he can give any better figures which would serve the public, but I understand that in this case to compare the price of retail cuts with the wholesale price of a side of beef would add nothing to anybody's knowledge.

Mr. Thorpe

But since none of those figures are published in any event, surely it is difficult for the consumer to judge whether they are good figures or not?

The Prime Minister

I did not say that these figures were published. I said that if my right hon. Friend could help the public in any way he would certainly do so. But this is certainly not a way in which the public could be helped.