§ 103. Mr. Holtasked the Minister of Food in relation only to those foods where there has been a drop in consumption in the last 18 months, if he will give an estimate of the annual cost to the Exchequer of reintroducing food subsidies where they have been discontinued and increasing them where they have been reduced, so as to bring the retail prices of such foods back to the prices they were in November, 1951.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeThe only basic foods whose consumption has fallen slightly since November, 1951, are milk, bread and flour. If the prices of these foods were restored to the levels ruling in November, 1951, the annual cost to the Exchequer would be about £80 million.
§ 105. Mr. Willeyasked the Minister of Food how the food subsidy, during the financial year 1952–53, was split between the various commodities.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Esher (Mr. Robson Brown) on 9th March, 1953.