§ Captain Lyonsasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been called to the increase in the prices of salad and other vegetables and, particularly, to the fact that the wholesale selling price of spring onions is now 3s. per pound, whereas the price a year ago was about 3d. per pound; to what extent in this term and at 3s. per pound young onions are being sold, whereas the maximum retail selling price, when fully grown, is fixed at 4½d. per pound; and what steps he will now take for public protection against this form of profiteering?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI am aware that prices of salad vegetables and other spring vegetables generally are much higher this year than last. This, in the main, is due to the exceptionally unfavourable weather this year, which has resulted in retarded growth and greatly reduced supplies as compared with the corresponding season of last year, which was unusually favourable. I have made inquiries, but have ben unable to verify my hon. and gallant Friend's comparative figures for spring onions. Spring onions are generally sold, not by weight but by the bunch, which is not uniform in size or weight. In regard to the last part of the Question there is no evidence so far of premature marketing of spring onions.