HC Deb 15 February 1967 vol 741 cc609-10
27. Mr. Body

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give an estimate of the number of eggs that will be imported into the United Kingdom in 1967.

Mr. Hoy

It is not possible to make precise estimates but I have no reason to expect that imports of shell eggs will significantly differ from recent years when they have represented less than 2 per cent. of total supplies.

Mr. Body

Is not the hon. Gentleman aware that in earlier years they have come in at higher prices whereas this time they are being dumped on our shores and that many egg producers will go out of business unless something is done about it?

Mr. Hoy

I do not think so. It is true that in January of this year the throughput of the Board was 7½ per cent. greater than last year. What we want is a better sale of eggs.

Mr. Bessell

Can the hon. Gentleman say what proportion of the 2 per cent. is likely to be imported from Poland and other Iron Curtain countries?

Mr. Hoy

If the hon. Gentleman will put down a Question asking about the shares, I will give the figures; but normally imports are running at about 1.7 to 1.8 per cent. of our total egg supplies.

38. Mr. James Davidson

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to prevent the sale of eggs that are seconds by retailers at three to four times the price paid to producers.

Mr. Hoy

Second-quality eggs are no longer available for retail sale.

Mr. Davidson

I realise that they are no longer available on these terms, but they were in December, as the Minister knows. Is the Minister aware that they were on the market at a price greatly in excess of that which the producers received? Would he not agree that the law of supply and demand should be allowed to operate and that the producers should receive any benefit during a time of shortage? Is the Minister aware that the producers were receiving about a quarter of the price that the eggs were realising on the market?

Mr. Hoy

Strangely enough, at the end of the year there was a shortage of eggs. The Board—and it must be remembered that marketing is the responsibility of the Board, and not of the Ministry—allowed second-quality eggs to go on the market to meet demand. This lasted for only four weeks, and then the scheme was withdrawn.