Oral Answers to Questions — National Finance – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 18 Mawrth 1947.
Mr Frank Beswick
, Uxbridge
12:00,
18 Mawrth 1947
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the foreign currencies and the amount in each denomination made available to the Ministry of Food for the purchase of luxury fruits such as pineapples, grapes and peaches; and if he will refuse to make foreign exchange available for these purposes in future.
Mr Hugh Dalton
, Bishop Auckland
I will, with permission, circulate details in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The answer to the second part of the Question is "No, Sir."
| LANDED VALUE OF IMPORTS OF CERTAIN FRUITS IN 1946. | ||||||||||
| In £. | ||||||||||
| Country of Origin. | Mandarins and Tangerines. | Grapes. | Apricots. | Peaches and Nectarines. | Melons. | Pineapples. | Strawberries. | Medlars. | Sloes. | Persimmons. |
| Italy | 1,148,030 | 2,442,452 | — | 1,700,276 | 54,250 | — | — | 2,145 | 105 | 145,747 |
| France | 81,700 | 241,212 | 82,337 | 868,814 | 31,782 | — | 3,910 | — | — | 4,829 |
| Holland | 1,940 | 1,736,817 | 226 | 44,452 | 372,604 | 222 | 29,887 | — | — | — |
| French Morocco | 428,760 | 5,000 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Spain | 605,477 | 127,526 | — | — | 150,316 | 77 | — | — | — | — |
| Algeria | 108,624 | 760 | 31 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| U.S.A. | 9,083 | 83,043 | — | — | — | — | 28 | — | — | — |
| Tunisia | 7,518 | 106 | — | — | 51 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Greece | 7,800 | 407,940 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Belgium | 4,499 | 509,008 | 198 | 17,885 | 2,071 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Channel Isles | — | 242,006 | — | 296 | 8,113 | — | 110 | — | — | — |
| South Africa | — | 45 | 590 | 12,250 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Azores | — | — | — | — | — | 152,156 | — | — | — | — |
| Portugal | — | — | — | — | — | 500 | — | — | — | — |
| Eire | — | 65 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 40 | — |
| Canada | — | 575 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Switzerland | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Denmark | — | — | — | — | 86 | — | — | — | — | — |
| French Somaliland | — | — | — | — | 36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| TOTAL | 2,403,431 | 5,796,556 | 83,382 | 2,643,996 | 619,311 | 152,955 | 33,935 | 2,145 | 145 | 150,576 |
Mr Frank Beswick
, Uxbridge
Will the Chancellor bear in mind the deplorable psychological effect of large expenditures of overseas credit on such luxury items? Will he reconsider his decision?
Mr Hugh Dalton
, Bishop Auckland
No, Sir, I will not. As a matter of fact, there is great exaggeration about this matter. Most of this fruit comes from soft currency areas, as will be seen if the hon. Member reads my answer. Nearly all of it comes from soft currency areas, and does not involve dollars, is extremely good for health and morale, and is snapped up very quickly in the shops all over the country.
Mr Victor Collins
, Taunton
Does the Chancellor accept the implication in the Question that peaches costing 4d. in the shops are luxury fruits, whereas pears costing 6d. are not?
Mr Hugh Dalton
, Bishop Auckland
I think the words "luxury fruit" are stupidly used by people.
Mr Frederick Erroll
, Altrincham and Sale
Is it not a fact that we are exporting machinery and capital goods to these soft countries and only getting soft fruit in return?
Mr Hugh Dalton
, Bishop Auckland
It would do the hon. Gentleman good if he consumed some.
