§ 6. Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has of a connection between recent rises in food prices and actions taken by either food retailers or food manufacturers; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. FennerThe food industry is co-operating fully with the Government and I am satisfied that every effort is being made to avoid price increases during the standstill period.
§ 24. Mr. William Priceasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many complaints about price rises have been made to his Department since June 1970.
§ Mrs. FennerAbout 7,850.
§ 26. Sir G. Nabarroasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increase has taken place in retail food prices between July 1970 and November 1972; and what estimate he has made of the impact of the Programme for Controlling Inflation, Command Paper No. 5125, and policies inherent in the First Stage, on retail food prices, during the first quarter of 1973.
§ Mr. GodberAs to the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Bassetlaw (Mr. Ashton) and others. As to the second part, I would refer him to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Bothwell (Mr. James Hamilton).
§ 28. Mr. Eadieasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider making awards to organisations who notify him of illegal price increases.
§ Mrs. FennerNo.
§ 34. Mr. Deakinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what 308W decisions have been reached about prices for manufactured milk products in 1973; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartI would refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend made on 27th November in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen).—[Vol. 847, c.35–6.]
§ 38. Mr. Meacherasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many complainants to the present price monitoring body have so far expressed their satisfaction at the action taken on their behalf; and what proportion that is of the total.
§ Mrs. FennerWhere investigation is complete, food price increases were considered to be outside the terms of the standstill in about 5 per cent. of the cases, and traders have reduced those prices. I conclude that those complainants are satisfied. I have no reason to doubt that the great majority of other complainants believe that the inquiries have been satisfactorily carried out.
40. Mrs. DorisFisher asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what item of food has given rise to the largest number of complaints received by the Ministry's prices unit in the Midlands.
§ Mrs. FennerCoffee.
§ 41. Mr. Goldingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he intends to take to ensure the supply of cheaper beef.
§ Mrs. FennerIncreased supplies of imported chilled beef have followed the Government's suspension of the tariff. Our national beef herd is expanding rapidly under the policies of this Government, and extra beef is the only way to contain prices. But it cannot be produced quickly to meet the present strong demand for beef which is world-wide.
§ 42. Mr. Kelleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why poultry food in pellet form has increased in price over the past two weeks, and what that increase has been in percentage terms 309W to the small user buying less than one hundredweight.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe prices of processed animal feedingstuffs were increased because of the considerable rise in the costs of raw materials. I understand that the average percentage increase in pelleted poultry feeds was of the order of 5 per cent.
§ 47. Mr. Gwynoro Jonesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the average percentage increase in the price of fertiliser and feeding stuffs to the agriculture industry in 1972 to date.
§ Mrs. FennerThe price of most fertilisers was increased by 7½ per cent. from 1st October 1972. The price for all types of feedingstuffs show a rise of 9 per cent. between December 1971 and October 1972.
§ 48. Mr. Goldingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what have been the increases in the price of bacon and eggs during the period of the wages standstill.
§ Mrs. FennerThere has been no change in the first-hand prices of bacon produced in the United Kingdom but those of imported bacon have risen by amounts ranging from £14 to £35 a ton and as a result there have been small increases in retail prices in some shops. Egg prices have shown seasonal increases of the order of 3p-4p a dozen at the firsthand level and rather less at the retail level.
§ Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes there have been in the food retail price index in the second and third quarters of 1972; and what were the comparable figures for 1971.
§ Mr. GodberThe percentage changes in the Food Index were as follows:
310W
per cent. mid-March 1971—mid-June 1971 +6.1 mid-June 1971—mid-September 1971 -0.6 mid-March 1972—mid-June 1972 +1.9 mid-June 1972—mid-September 1972 +1.9 Comparisons between these periods are of course affected by seasonal and other factors.
§ Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action has been taken against those in breach of the prices and incomes standstill.
§ Mr. GodberIn those few cases where food price increases were considered to be outside the terms of the standstill, manufacturers or traders have been called on to reduce them and have done so.
§ Mr. Strangasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further discussions he plans to have with leaders of the retail food trade about the operation of the arrangements for restraining increases in food prices.
§ Mr. GodberI have had a number of such meetings since 6th November and my officials continue to maintain close contact with the retail food trade.