3. Mr. Mark Hughesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes in the expenditure and consumption per head of retirement pensioners on meat, butter and milk took place between the fourth quarter of 1970 and 1971, respectively, or the latest date for which such figures are available.
§ Mr. PriorAs the answer includes a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate them in the Official Report.
Mr. HughesIn so far as the figures are likely to be those of the National Food Survey which are published by the right hon. Gentleman's Department, will the Minister accept in general terms that, despite the increase in pensions, the position that will be revealed is that butter consumption has gone down by one-quarter while expenditure on fat has increased by 25 per cent.; that while meat consumption has gone up slightly expenditure on meat has gone up sharply, and that milk consumption has gone down by 2 per cent. and the cost has gone up by 15 per cent.?
§ Mr. PriorNo, Sir, I certainly would not confirm the last of the hon. Gentleman's assertions. He is, broadly speaking, right about butter and carcase meat. It is interesting to note that there has been an increase in consumption of carcase meat as well as an increase in expenditure on it. For butter the trends are similar to those for the population as a whole.
§ Mr. KinseyMy right hon. Friend will be aware that the 12-monthly review will help considerably. Will he continue to press upon the Government the necessity to resist exorbitant wage claims which put increasing pressures on pensioners?
§ Mr. PriorThere is no doubt that exorbitant wage claims are the largest single factor in price increases and, therefore, we all need to take whatever action we can to keep them down.
§ Mr. PeartIs the Minister aware that old-age pensioners spend a large proportion of their income on food and that increases in food prices weigh heavily upon them? Is he also aware that under the present Administration "old age" is another term for "poverty", and that something must be done?
§ Mr. PriorOf course that remark is the nonsense that the right hon. Gentleman knows it to be. What is more, the Conservative Party is the party that has agreed to an annual increase in pensions, which is more than the Opposition did.
§ Following is the information:
§ The National Food Survey data for pensioner households for the fourth quarters of 1970 and 1971 shows the following changes:
| Commodity | Change in expenditure Per cent. | Change in consumption Per cent. |
| Carcase meat | +22.3 | +3.5 |
| Butter | +7 | -29.7 |
| All milk (including cream) | +10.8 | No change |
§ 14. Mr. Carterasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by what percentage the cost of food has risen since 18th June, 1970, and what has been the average monthly increase over the past six months.
§ 15. Mr. William Priceasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the increase in food prices since 18th June, 1970.
§ Mr. PriorThe latest available information about the increase in the Food Index since June, 1970, was given in my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Carter) on 29th February. The average monthly increase between July, 1971, and January, 1972, was rather less than 0.6 per cent.—[Vol. 832, c. 58–59.]
§ Mr. CarterIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that that is a scandalous rate of increase—[Laughter.] But in connection with the recently announced cut in the price of milk what discussions did he have with his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science before the cut was announced? Does he not realise that the country as a whole would welcome this more as an opportunity to restore free milk in school?
§ Mr. PriorMy right hon. Friend was informed and, as one would expect, I have had discussions with my colleagues. I can tell the hon. Gentleman that my colleagues welcomed the cuts very much indeed, and I am sorry that the Opposition do not.
§ Mr. FarrWould my right hon. Friend agree that not only have prices been relatively stable recently but also that the recent measures he has taken will have a marked effect in reducing the prices of certain food commodities?
§ Mr. PriorYes, Sir, that is true—and it is the Conservative Government which have cut these prices, S.E.T. and also purchase tax. I cannot remember a single case in which the Labour Government ever cut anything.
§ Mr. PeartWill the Minister give an assurance that the Conservative Administration will not support the introduction of a value-added tax which will affect food prices?
§ Mr. PriorWe have already made it abundantly clear that food, other than those items of food on which the Labour Party put purchase tax, will be relieved of V.A.T. Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman should wait until a little later in the afternoon.