§ MR. FIELDTo ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, owing to yeast being one of the exempted articles under the Merchandise Marks Act, Foreign yeast imported into Ireland and England is not marked as such, and that it is being sold as of home manufacture, thus injuring the producers of yeast in Ireland and Scotland, and whether he can arrange that measures shall be taken to identify imported yeast.
(Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George) The hon. Member is mistaken in supposing that yeast is exempted from the operation of the Merchandise Marks Act. I am informed by the Commissioners of Customs that, so far as they are aware, no yeast is imported bearing marks which contravene that Act, which, as the hon. Member is doubtless aware, does not require all imported goods, whether marked or not, to bear an indication of their origin. The sale of foreign yeast as yeast of home manufacture would be an 866 offence against the Act, and if any specific cases of such sales are brought to my notice under the Board of Trade Regulations, I will have them carefully considered with a view to prosecution, should the circumstances justify such a step.