§ 105. Mr. MOLTENOasked the President of the Board of Trade, whether, in view of the limitation of the prices of milk 337 imposed by Order in Council, he intends to take any steps to limit the rise in prices of the fanners' raw material, such as oilcake, which has risen in the case of palm-kernel cake from £6 before the War to £12; Egyptian cotton cake, from £4 13s. 6d. to £12; English linseed cake, from £7 15s. 6d. to £16 2s. 6d.; and Indian linseed cake, from £7 15s. to £15; and whether his attention has been called to the increase in the profits and dividends of the oil and cake mill companies since the War began?
§ Mr. PRETYMANThe rise in the price of farmers raw material was taken into account in fixing the maximum prices of milk. I am considering what steps can be taken to prevent a further rise in the price of feeding stuffs.
§ Captain C. BATHURSTIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the prices of farmers' raw materials have gone up very substantially since the prices of milk were fixed?
§ Mr. PRETYMANThat was the purport of my reply. The figures in this question are considerably below the present figures.