HC Deb 14 May 1952 vol 500 cc113-5W
4. Mr. Osborne

asked the Minister of Food if, in view of the 25,000,000 per annum growth in world population and the demand by coloured peoples for a

Major Lloyd George

As indicated in my reply to a Questin by the hon. Member for Derbyshire, South-East (Mr. Champion) on 6th May, it is not possible to make accurate comparisons between the prices paid for home-produced food and for similar imported supplies, unless differences in quality and variations in the terms of purchase are taken into account.

Following are the figures:

higher standard of life, he is satisfied that world food production is increasing sufficiently to enable the British standard to be maintained; and what talks are going on with the United States Government on these matters.

Major Lloyd George

I am very conscious of the broad problem to which my hon. Friend refers. We are collaborating with other Commonwealth countries and with such international agencies as the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation in plans for increasing world production. I must, however, remind my hon. Friend that in the immediate future the maintenance of the British standard of life depends primarily on our own ability to increase production and to develop sufficient exports to pay for the goods we need from abroad.