Ministry's Bulletin (Hansard, 11 December 1950)

§ 123. Mr. Gammans
asked the Minister of Food for what reason a speech, made by himself at Bradford, making claims for Government bulk purchase, of a controversial nature was reprinted in the official Ministry of Food Bulletin No. 575.
119W

§ Mr. F. Willey
Extracts from my right hon. Friend's speech were published because they were considered to be of interest to readers of the Bulletin.

§ 124. Mr. Gammans
asked the Minister of Food what is the annual cost of editing, printing and distributing the Ministry of Food Bulletin; and how much of this cost is recovered from sales to the public.

§ Mr. F. Willey
The Bulletin is published primarily for the information of the Ministry's staff, to whom about 4,000 copies are sent free of charge. About 2,000 copies are sold to the public. Since the Bulletin was put on sale at the beginning of this year, its total cost has been

Crop Year

— 1947–1948 1948–1949 1949–1950 Estimate 1950–1951

tons tons tons tons

Potatoes used for human consumption (a) … 4,937,000 5,399,000 5,367,000 5,213,000

Total production (b) … … … … 6,742,000 10,132,000 7,605,000 8,214,000

Imports (ware, seed and new, including shipments from Northern Ireland) (c) … 397,000 341,000 397,000 350,000

Exports (ware and seed) (c) … … … 46,000 98,000 25,000 100,000

Ware potatoes surplus to human consumption needs were either sold or processed for stockfeeding or exported.

The operation of fixed growers' prices is only one of the ways in which my Department implements the Agriculture Act, 1947. The total net cost of potato control (excluding Acreage Payments) is as follows:—

£

Year ended 31st March, 1948 (including carrots for which separate figures are not available) … … … … … … 10,415,978

Year ended 31st March, 1949 … … … … … … 11,099,064

Year ended 31st March, 1950 … … … … … … 10,876,600 (provisional)

Year ended 31st March, 1951 … … … … … … 6,224,000 (estimate)

(a) This figure is based on recorded movements off farms; it includes an allowance for usage on farms.

(b) This item includes potatoes produced for human consumption and exports, seed potatoes, potatoes used or processed for stockfeeding and normal wastage, disease losses and shrinkage in store.

(c) Based on Ministry of Food statistics.

	Crop Year
—	1947–1948	1948–1949	1949–1950	Estimate 1950–1951
tons	tons	tons	tons
Potatoes used for human consumption (a)	…	4,937,000	5,399,000	5,367,000	5,213,000
Total production (b)	…	…	…	…	6,742,000	10,132,000	7,605,000	8,214,000
Imports (ware, seed and new, including shipments from Northern Ireland) (c)	…	397,000	341,000	397,000	350,000
Exports (ware and seed) (c)	…	…	…	46,000	98,000	25,000	100,000
Ware potatoes surplus to human consumption needs were either sold or processed for stockfeeding or exported.
The operation of fixed growers' prices is only one of the ways in which my Department implements the Agriculture Act, 1947. The total net cost of potato control (excluding Acreage Payments) is as follows:—

	£
Year ended 31st March, 1948 (including carrots for which separate figures are not available)	…	…	…	…	…	…	10,415,978
Year ended 31st March, 1949	…	…	…	…	…	…	11,099,064
Year ended 31st March, 1950	…	…	…	…	…	…	10,876,600 (provisional)
Year ended 31st March, 1951	…	…	…	…	…	…	6,224,000 (estimate)
(a) This figure is based on recorded movements off farms; it includes an allowance for usage on farms.
(b) This item includes potatoes produced for human consumption and exports, seed potatoes, potatoes used or processed for stockfeeding and normal wastage, disease losses and shrinkage in store.
(c) Based on Ministry of Food statistics.