§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Industry who initiated the meeting between Mobil Oil and his Department that took place in the first week of June.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Industry why no public announcement was made on 29th September as to the offer of £10.3 million financial assistance to Mobil Oil.
§ Mr. CryerUnless there are special circumstances, offers of assistance under the accelerated projects scheme are not announced when the offers are made but published in accordance with the arrangements announced to the House on 31st July 1974. In this case the assistance to Mobil Oil exceeded £5 million, and the offer was announced to the House when the statement required under Section 8(8) of the Industry Act 1972 was laid on 13th October.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the reason for his delay in informing the House
MONTHLY AVERAGE WHOLESALE PRICE OF HOME-GROWN POTATOES* (pence per lb.) January† February March April† May June‡ 1971 … … — — — — — — 1972 … … 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.3 2.0 1973 … … 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.5 1.7 2.5 1974 … … 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.3 3.4 1975 … … 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.9 2.3 7.7 1976 … … 7.6 8.8 9.5 11.8 9.7 7.8
(pence per lb.) July‡ August September October November December 1971 … … — — 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.9 1972 … … 1.5 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.2 1973 … … 1.6 1.0 1.0 1.2 1.2 1.3 1974 … … 2.0 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.7 1975 … … 6.2 5.0 4.0 4.3 4.9 6.0 1976 … … 5.2 7.5 7.8 — — — Source: MAFF.
* Average wholesale prices at Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Gateshead, Nottingham and New Covent Garden.
† 5 weeks in these months.
‡ New potatoes.
It is not meaningful to compare wholesale prices for potatoes with the value of sterling.
§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will list in the Official Report the average wholesale price per pound of potatoes in each month of each of the last five years, expressed in current and in August 1976 sterling values.
§ Mr. MaclennanAverage retail prices of potatoes in September 1971 can be found on page 1033 of Vol. LXXIX NO. 3 of theDepartment of Employment Gezette. Prices in more recent months appear in subsequent editions of the
372Wabout the offer of £10.3 million financial assistance to Mobil Oil.
§ Mr. CryerThere was no delay. A statement was laid before the House at the earliest convenient opportunity after the House reassembled.