asked the President of the Board of Trade whether seeing that the imports of Italian plums, greengages and damsons into the United Kingdom for the 10 months ended October, 1937, exceeded the imports for the whole 12 months of 1936, he will take steps to restrict the import of Italian plums?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries on 29th November.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the difficulties this year of growers in the Vale of Evesham, and is it not the fact that the home producers should come before the Italians?

I assure the hon. Member that I have every sympathy with the growers in the Vale of Evesham. The answer to which I referred the hon. Member explained the proper course to be taken.

Is the Minister aware that no one picked the plums grown in the division of the hon. Member because they could not get a proper price for them?