§ 110. Major HUNTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Regulations of the Sugar Commission prevent the Maypole Dairy Company, who are the largest British manufacturers and retailers of margarine, from selling sugar, whilst the manufacturers and retailers of Dutch margarine who sold sugar in 1915 are still allowed to sell sugar, and in this way, as people must have sugar, compel the public to deal with the retailers of the Dutch firm and to pay a higher price for the margarine they buy; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?
§ Mr. McKENNAIn order to retain the trade in its usual channels the Sugar Commission has provided that the restricted supplies of sugar now available shall be divided only amongst those traders who dealt in the article in 1915. I am not aware that any Dutch margarine manufacturer sells sugar retail in this country. For the rest, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Dartford.
§ Major HUNTCannot the right hon. Gentleman understand that, as a result of these Regulations, the Dutch firm can, through its retailers here, sell sugar with margarine, and the British firm cannot do so? Surely the right hon. Gentleman does not want to give an extra favour to a foreign firm as against a British firm!
§ Mr. McKENNAI quite agree with the hon. and gallant Gentleman that it would be most undesirable to give an extra favour to a foreign firm as against a British firm.
§ Major HUNTThen why does the right hon. Gentleman do it?
§ Mr. McKENNAI am not doing it.
§ Major HUNTYou are.