§ 14. Mr. Ashtonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has made of the increase in price per pound of turkey from Christmas 1969 to Christmas 1973.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mrs. Peggy Fenner)The price of frozen oven-ready turkeys in supermarkets this Christmas is likely to be in the region of 8p per lb. higher than at Christmas 1969.
§ Mr. AshtonThe hon. Lady has not given the figures for fresh birds, and they represent an increase of a quarter to a third on prices since last year alone. Does not she realise that the time has come to introduce subsidies on foods, especially on Christmas foods such as this?—otherwise half the families in the country will end up having to have gruel for Christmas instead of their usual Christmas dinners.
§ Mrs. FennerThe Price Commission expects that fresh birds will be about 45p or 50p a lb. this year. Yesterday the poultry traders said that prices are likely to be a bit below that. Supplies this year have increased by 500,000 turkeys. That gives a clear indication that they expect to sell more.
§ Sir R. CaryDid not we pay a bonus last year and the year before to help in these matters? Can my hon. Friend say whether a similar bonus was paid in 1969?
§ Mrs. FennerI do not recall a £10 bonus to pensioners in 1969.
§ Mr. TuckDoes not the hon. Lady think that from the point of view of the average housewife and her family this will be the worst Christmas that they have ever experienced? In view of the fact that the Government's measures have so far turned out to be totally ineffective, will the Government either produce effective measures to control inflation or resign?
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. This has not much to do with turkeys.