HC Deb 08 May 1953 vol 515 cc50-2W
Lieut-Colonel Lipton

asked the Minister of Food what amount was paid for the 81 million home-produced eggs purchased by his Department since eggs were decontrolled; how many of these eggs have been sold; how much was received for them; and what was the profit or loss to his Department.

Major Lloyd George,

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 27th April, Vol. 514, c. 1760], supplied the following information: It has not yet been possible to make final payment for some of these eggs bought in Northern Ireland but the total amount is expected to be approximately £1,325,000. None have been sold but my Department has arranged for some to be broken out and made into frozen egg for sale later to the baking and manufacturing trades. Of the balance held in cold store, a proportion will be broken out and frozen but the majority will be sold later in the year as "chilled eggs." It will be some months before my Department's profit or loss on these transactions can be ascertained.