§ 30. Mr. ANDERSONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to an estimate that food prices have, on an average, risen by 45 per cent., flour costing 71 per cent. 800 more, butter 24 per cent., meat 30 per cent., tea 25 per cent., and sugar 88 per cent.; and whether, in view of these increases and the hardships caused to the general public, he will, as far as practicable, extend to food prices generally the same public control which he has now promised with respect to the price of coal?
Mr. RUNCIMANThe hon. Gentleman overestimates somewhat the average rise in retail food prices in this country since the outbreak of War. I may remind him that, in the case of each of the commodities separately mentioned in the question, the supplies to this country are drawn to a large extent from abroad, and that this circumstance limits the capacity of any authority in this country to control their prices.