§ Sir J. Mellorasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that one effect of fixed maximum prices for eggs is that it is usually less profitable to sell them in the larger towns, owing to cost of transport and packing, than nearer a source of supply; and whether, in order to encourage the better distribution of eggs, he will permit some local addition to maximum prices to cover transport and packing costs?
Major Lloyd GeorgeMy Noble Friend regrets that he is unable to adopt the suggestion in the Question as such a provision would lead to a wide variation in the permitted maximum prices for eggs, the consumer would not know what prices ought to be paid for the eggs and the maximum prices Order would be impossible to enforce. With a view to encouraging the sale of eggs at points distant from the source of production, the Home Produced Eggs (Maximum Prices) Order already permits higher maximum prices for eggs that pass through licensed 1011W packing stations, these higher prices provide a margin to the packing stations to cover the cost of collection, grading and testing of the eggs, and delivery to purchasers' premises.
§ Dr. Littleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in view of the grievance of egg retailers in Northern Ireland which has been brought to the notice of the Ministry, he will give instructions that purchasers of eggs at the prescribed maximum price should be freed from any additional payments on these eggs?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI presume that my hon. Friend refers to the levy of one farthing per dozen on eggs sold by retailers in Northern Ireland. This levy is part of the licence fee charged to retailers of eggs in Northern Ireland under the Marketing of Eggs Act (Northern Ireland) 1936. This is a matter for the Minister of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Wedgwood Bennasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that, in order to receive eggs, queues numbering some hundreds of people have been compelled to stand before the shops, sometimes in the rain; and whether he will take steps to put the matter right?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI am aware that in some instances people have formed queues in order to obtain eggs. In almost every case these queues have appeared at shops dealing mainly or wholly in eggs where sales are made on the basis of "First come first served" and where the question of distributing the available supplies equitably by the retailer amongst regular customers does not arise. The Ministry is considering a scheme for controlling further the distribution of eggs, but the problem is difficult owing to the very large number of producers and the many different channels of distribution.