asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, in view of the fact that in North-West Kent strawberries cost about 11d. a pound to grow and that the picking season is later than in many other districts, whether he will consider extending the pre-emption date for 14 days or raising the price of pre-emption from 8¾fd. to 1s. 2d.?

My Noble Friend has already given careful consideration to this matter but can see no ground for varying the decision already taken nor can he accept as factual my hon. Friend's estimate of the growing cost of North-West Kent strawberries.