§ Mr. SEXTONasked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the price of fish landed at Grimsby, Aberdeen, and other fishing ports of the United Kingdom is 1s. 3d. a stone; if the same quality of fish is being retailed at 1s. 6d. per pound to the general consumer; and if so, will he explain the difference in the wholesale and retail price, and say how it is distributed?
§ Mr. McCURDYThe answers to the first and second parts of the question are in the negative. According to my information, the average price at the ports would appear to be much higher than 1s. 3d. a stone. The last part of the question therefore does not arise, but I would point out to the hon. Member that the average price of fish landed at the ports in general affords very insufficient evidence as to what may be regarded as fair retail prices. These vary for different qualities and different portions of the many varieties of fish; in many cases the retail price is that of a selected cut, whereas the landed price is the price of the whole fish, and, further, the retail2026W price is affected by costs of ice, transport and packing, labour and distribution, all of which are now generally very high.