HL Deb 22 January 1947 vol 145 cc104-7

6.2 p.m.

THE EARL OF CORK AND ORRERY rose to ask His Majesty's Government, (a) whether the arrangements come to in August last with the Government of Eire concerning the supply of foodstuffs to this country have proved in practice to be entirely satisfactory to both parties to the agreement; (b) if so, whether the maximum quantity of all foodstuffs of every description that Eire can supply are now being received; and (c) if not, why not? The noble Lord said: My Lords, before putting the question I wish to make a few remarks to explain why I think it necessary. On December II a Motion was agreed in your Lordships' House without a division, and a part of the Motion read as follows: That this House is convinced that maximum agricultural production at home, both immediately and for many years to come, is essential for safeguarding the food of our people. That Motion was introduced by the noble Earl, Lord De La Warr, and in the debate which followed he was supported by many noble Lords who are recognized authorities both on the affairs of the nation and on agriculture. The Leader of the House intervened in the debate and in his dual capacity as Government spokesman and as an expert on agriculture, he used these words: I can tell the noble Earl that we are exceedingly anxious as to the position of our purchasing power in the years to come. And he went on to add: We are not under any illusion about the necessities of the case, nor as to the necessity for increasing our food production at home as much as possible. There must be many noble Lords who left this House that day with a certain feeling of anxiety after having heard the debate. They would have received an assurance, however, that the Government were obviously well informed as to our position, that they had the matter in hand, and that they would do everything they possibly could to increase the production of a food market which is at our doors and which, in the past, has had a very flourishing trade with this country. It is one which will supply us with food which has not got to undergo all the drawbacks of a long sea passage and all the incidental expenses such as insurance and so on.

My own feeling, however, was rudely disturbed by getting a letter from a friend of mine in Ireland, dated two days before that debate. He told me that the result of the conversations which had been held between this Government and the Government of Eire in August could hardly be described as satisfactory, in that, although certain price revisions were made, the prices were laid down on the "take it or leave it" description, and very little negotiation could take place. My friend went on to say that although the prices might possibly attract the surplus food available in Ireland, they were not such as to induce producers in Ireland to go all out to produce food for the British market. Any inclination to do so was effectively crushed by the turkey upset. What he meant by the turkey upset was that certain prices were fixed for turkeys for the Christmas market, and some little time after this had been agreed upon, and a promise made to the producers, these prices were arbitrarily cut down by the Minister of Food. Although some of the cuts were subsequently restored, prices never got back to the fixed price. That sort of thing would obviously deter any farmer from trying to produce for any such uncertain market. It is difficult to believe that, with all the sense of emergency expressed by the noble Viscount, Lord Addison, food supplies to this country are not being encouraged in every possible way.

As you know, the full terms of the agreement were never published. There was rather a vague statement made, but the details were never given. The statement did not indicate any sense of urgency, but rather that a hand-to-mouth policy was being followed. The object of my question is to find out whether we are getting everything we can from Ireland and are offering prices which will induce farmers to produce and which will, on a long-term view, encourage in every way, for the benefit of the people of this country, the breeding of livestock in that very fertile island.

6.9 p.m.

LORD HENDERSON

My Lords, I think that the answer which I am about to give will bring some assurance to the noble Lord's mind. The agreements reached with the Eire Government during the latter part of last summer dealt with fat cattle, beef and eggs. Satisfactory arrangements were already operating for the processed milk she could supply while, for the time being, she had no butter or bacon to offer. The Eire Government had asked for an increase in the prices we paid for fat cattle imported for immediate slaughter and for carcass beef imported from Eire. However, after full discussion with them, His Majesty's Government were satisfied that no overall increase in the supply of meat to consumers in the United Kingdom would result from such a rise in prices. It did appear, however, that some small upward revision was justified by recent changes in prices paid to United Kingdom cattle producers and as general encouragement to maximize shipments. An increase of 1d, per lb. was subsequently made in the prices of Eire fat cattle and carcass beef. Eire sends us store cattle, fat cattle and carcass meat, and we are confident that taking these three classes together we are securing the maximum practicable contribution from her to our meat supply.

An agreement on eggs was also reached with Eire. It comes into operation on 1st February, 1947, and covers the whole of this year's exportable surplus of eggs under an arrangement whereby a sliding scale gives her a higher price the greater the quantity she sends. If shipments reach a specified minimum of 700,000 boxes the agreement will be extended to 1948 and 1949. For 1948 we would agree to pay the same prices as for 1947, and Eire would agree to send at least the minimum quantity specified for 1947. Prices for 1949 will be negotiated later but we would guarantee a minimum price for a quantity equal to the average of the shipments in 1947 and 1948. Though it is, of course, too early to see the results of this agreement it is mutually satisfactory and promises to secure for us the maximum supplies of eggs Eire can provide.

THE EARL OF CORK AND ORRERY

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his very clear answer, and I hope that the Government of Eire take the same view. Possibly the publication of this question will elicit their view of it. But I would tell the noble Lord this: that the farmers in Ireland have an idea that their cattle are discriminated against in order—

SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS: Order, order.

THE EARL OF CORK AND ORRERY

I thank the noble Lords who take the trouble to intervene. There are so few members in the House that I am sure wish to save time. I thank the noble Lord for his reply.