§ Mr. Sutcliffeasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in view of the prices fixed by his Department for eggs, he can state the membership of his Poultry Advisory Committee; how often it has been called together or consulted in the last 18 months; and what advice it has given on egg prices?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe Home-Produced Egg Trade Advisory Committee, to which my hon. Friend presumably refers, and the Central Advisory Committee, which preceded it, have held six meetings since the beginning of the war; there have in addition been five meetings of the Scottish sub-committees. The producers' representatives on these committees have advised that prices should be fixed at levels that are remunerative to producers. The actual price levels and the dates on which they should be fixed have not been discussed by these committees as it is inexpedient that information on these matters should be disclosed by the Ministry until shortly before a change is made. I am sending to my hon. Friend a list of the members of the Home-Produced Egg Trade Advisory Committee with the organisations they represent.
Mr. Rostron Duckworthasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in fixing lower egg prices now, he will take a long view of the question of the fixation of current prices next winter?
Major Lloyd GeorgeWhenever a change is made in the maximum prices of eggs, account is taken of long-term considerations as well as of the circumstances at the time.