National Vegetable Marketing Board

HC Deb 07 October 1942 vol 383 cc1225-6W

Mr. Jackson

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what has been the cost of National Vegetable Marketing Board, Limited; and what proportion of that cost has been recovered from the trade?

Mr. Mabane

The National Vegetable Marketing Board was established by my Department to undertake the distribution of carrots and onions of the 1941 crop. The sale of carrots was subsidised and although a small profit was made by the company out of the sale of onions, this was more than offset by the "loss" on carrots. The administrative expenses of the company, including directors' remuneration, salaries, wages and rentals, from its inception on 13th May, 1941, to 31st July, 1942, amounted to £99,478, no part of which was recovered from the company's trading.