§ Sir BERTRAM FALLEasked the Prime Minister if he is aware that the President of the Board of Agriculture made a statement in early January that the crop of 1917 potatoes grown in Jersey should not be subject to fixed pricing or commandeering, and that on that promise the Jersey farmer, who pays rents of from £14 to £18 per acre, planted every available acre; that fertilisers are very expensive in Jersey, labour scarce and highly paid, and that a fair minimum price per acre potatoes f.o.b. transport is, including rent, about £70; if he is aware that 1845W the War Office sent an Army Service Corps colonel to Jersey to bargain with the Committee of the Defence of the Island for the taking of half the 1917 crop From 15th June (best or ware potatoes only) at £8 6s. 8d. per ton, and that at this rate the result must be bankruptcy for the farmer, as the only question is how much he must lose per acre, and that it would be financially better for the farmer even now to plough up his potato land and grow roots, etc., for his cattle; and if he is aware that this bargain was obtained by the Army Service Corps colonel on the statement to the committee that in the event of his getting the potatoes at his price Government would see to it that transport would be obtained for the remaining half of the crop, but that otherwise it would not be so, that this authoritative statement was in the nature of a threat, and that the bargain was thus obtained by means which should not have the sanction of the Government; and if, under the circumstances, he will have a more equitable contract arranged, or if he will take the whole crop at cost price plus a percentage, seeing that at the end of May, June, and early July there will be practically no other potatoes to be had in this country?
§ Mr. FORSTERMy right hon. Friend has asked me to take this question. As regards the first part of my hon. Friend's question, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Agriculture has stated, with reference to the maximum prices originally fixed for main crop potatoes in 1917, that the Food Controller did not propose to fix maximum prices for first and second earlies. This statement has no bearing on the policy of minimum prices now adopted by the Food Controller. As regards the remainder of the question, I am unable to give an answer without detailed investigation, which I am having made. I will communicate the result to my hon. Friend as soon as I am in a position to do so.
§ Mr. JOWETTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether ho is aware that there are 303 fish friers' shops in Bradford that supply, altogether, between 800,000 and 900,000 meals per week consisting of fish and potatoes, fried, in all cases, in pure beef dripping; that these meals are provided at an average cost to the consumer of 2d. to 2½d. each; if he is aware that although 4,500 stones of potatoes per week are used in providing these meals and a large proportion of 1846W the potatoes are purchased on the cooperative system by the fish friers in the city the potatoes have to be bought at retailers' prices; if he is aware that under the present arrangement in regard to prices it is becoming a general practice among potato merchants to buy from farmers, whether by reason of collusion or of necessity is not known, as if the farmers were retailers, and with the result that fish friers and others are obliged to pay extra cartage charges and commission to potato merchants over and above farmer-retailers' prices or go without supplies; and if, in view of the importance of maintaining the supply of cheap nutritious meals economically cooked and served during the present crisis, he will consent to receive a deputation of fish friers and allow them to explain their case to him?
Captain BATHURSTI have no information as to the precise facts mentioned in the hon. Member's question; but I shall be glad to arrange for the reception of a deputation of Bradford fish friers on the points raised in the question.