§ MR. J. A. PEASE (Essex, Saffron Walden)On behalf of the hon. Member for Mid Norfolk, I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the number of corn and flour mills in Great Britain and their output thirty years ago, as compared with their number and production to-day.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralThere are no official Returns relating to this matter, but I am informed by the Board of Agriculture that about thirty years ago there 1350 were probably about 15,000 mills (mostly of the old type) in the United Kingdom. The total number is now estimated at about 9,000, of which about 1,000 are roller mills of the first class, while some 3,000 have a more or less incomplete roller system. As regards annual output, the estimates of wheat flour are, for a period about thirty years ago, 52,000,000 cwts., and for the present time about 76,000,000 cwts. The hon. Member will understand that these figures can only be taken as approximate.