§ 30. Mr. GEORGE LAMBERTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if, as the farmer is compelled by Regulation to sell his wheat at less than market rates while bread is sold at market rates, he will state what is to prevent the middleman from reaping the whole benefit of the transaction?
Captain BATHURSTIt was not thought necessary to fix the price of bread when fixing that of home-grown wheat which does not materially affect the former. The prices now fixed for homegrown wheat are certainly not such as to enable the middleman to make any exhorbitant profit. Under the Flour Mills Order issued last week the Food Controller will take control as from next Monday of all the larger flour mills in the United Kingdom, with a view to checking increases in the price of flour, and through flour, in that of bread throughout the country.
§ Mr. LAMBERTWill not the public derive some advantage from this reduction in the price of wheat to the farmer?
Captain BATHURSTAs I have already pointed out, the amount of the stocks of home-grown wheat is very small, and it is only in consequence of the price of the 2209 limited quantity of home-grown wheat rising out of all proportion to its previous price that it became essential to fix a maximum price for that particular produce.