§ 20. Mr. Peter Millsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the proportion of increased costs the food traders and manufacturers have borne over the last 10 years, as compared with the whole of the agricultural industry.
§ The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Frederick Peart)The necessary detailed information for such a comparison is not available in the case of the food distributive and manufacturing trades, but I have been assured by representatives of the food trades, whom I have seen, that they will absorb as much as possible of any extra costs through increasing productivity, which is what we are asking of the agricultural industry.
§ Mr. MillsWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the agricultural industry is bearing an ever-increasing a mount of the costs, and this indeed is an object lesson to other industries? Will he also bear in mind that at the recent Price Review we did not have a fair recoupment of these costs? Lastly, will he bear in mind that this has finally demolished the myth that the Socialists—and the late Tom Williams—are friends of the agricultural community?
§ Mr. PeartIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the Tory campaign at Saffron Walden was a flop, and indeed that where we put our agricultural case we had a 2.2 per cent. increase in the poll? We ascertain costs, and the hon. Gentleman must know that at every review costs are taken into account, and this has always been so in connection with the agricultural industry.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsMay I welcome the Minister and say how glad we are 546 to see him here? Can he say what is the increase in costs to the distributors of milk, the people who retail the milk, which justified the increase which he gave them at the recent Price Review?
§ Mr. PeartThe cost of distribution to milk retailers is a different matter. The hon. Gentleman was once a Minister in this Department and he should know that during a Price Review this is a matter which we consider when discussing the position of the producer.
§ Mr. BessellWhile appreciating that the right hon. Gentleman cannot produce this information immediately, may I ask whether he is prepared to follow this matter up and produce the information for which the hon. Member for Torrington (Mr. Mills) has asked?
§ Mr. PeartI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. With regard to the costs of distribution, I shall be making an announcement very shortly. I am anxious to have an inquiry. On costing in relation to the milk industry, it is a convention of the Review that no details are given, and the hon. Member for Cornwall, North (Mr. Scott-Hopkins) knows that that is the position.