§ 70. Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Food whether he has considered copies of correspondence which have been sent to him about onions which have gone rotten or had to be ploughed in; if he will compensate the farmers concerned for their loss; and what action he intends to take.
§ Mr. StracheyI have examined the correspondence but there is, I am afraid, little information that I can usefully add to that already conveyed to the hon. Member by my right hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary, in her letter of 21st January. I would however, remind the hon. Member that the marketing of onions is conducted in accordance with the advice which he himself gave to my right hon. Friend on 31st January in connection with potatoes and carrots, namely, that the matter should be—
left to the growers, the distributors, the public and the housewives."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 31st January, 1949; Vol. 460, c. 1365.]