HC Deb 22 July 1941 vol 373 cc815-6W
Mr. Rostron Duckworth

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, to ensure freshness of eggs, the packing stations collecting eggs will be authorised to mark the place and date of collection?

Major Lloyd George

It is a condition of a packer's licence that every container of eggs should bear a label showing by means of a coded date when the eggs were graded. There is nothing in the Order to prevent packing stations marking eggs with the place and date of collection provided that the mark is not such as to give rise to any confusion with the Ministry's approved mark. My Noble Friend is not, however, prepared, at the present time, to make such supplementary marking compulsory.

Sir L. Lyle

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether a retailer can sell eggs by weight; and, if not, what objection there is to his doing so?

Major Lloyd George

No provision is made for the retail sale of eggs by net weight. Under the Eggs (Prices and Control) Order provision is made for retail sales by count. There are two prices based on the size of the eggs which are graded by weight before reaching the retailer. To sell eggs by weight would involve loss from breakages and delay owing to the necessity for providing an exact weight of eggs and of avoiding fractional weights of an ounce

Sir L. Lyle

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food the approximate percentage of fresh and imported eggs, respectively, which are being distributed each week as part of the egg-rationing scheme; the average weekly allowance of any eggs which a family of five can reasonably expect to receive; and whether consumers who fail to receive any eggs at all can transfer their registration?

Major Lloyd George

Complete returns are not yet available, but the figures so far received indicate that for the week beginning 30th June the percentage of home produced and imported eggs allocated by the Ministry was 23 per cent. and 77 respectively, and for the week beginning 7th July 58 per cent. and 42 per cent. respectively. It is impossible to state the weekly allowance of eggs per head, since it must depend on the number of eggs coming forward. During the first three weeks of July sufficient eggs should have reached the retail shops to provide a minimum of three for all registered consumers, and up to five in certain parts of the country. The transference by consumers of their registrations from one retailer to another is a matter which falls within the discretion of the Food Control Committees.