§ 67. Mr. SITCHasked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the price of yeast made and sold in the United Kingdom has recently been advanced by £8 per ton; that, based on the normal daily consumption of this commodity, the enhanced cost represents an additional charge upon the community of approximately £800 per day; and whether he will require the manufacturers to satisfy him that the increase is justified?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Bridge-man)I have been asked to reply. I was not previously aware of the increase in the price of yeast referred to in the question. The information with which the hon. Member was so good as to supply me at the beginning of June concerning an alleged combine among the distillers of yeast has been referred to the Central Committee under the Profiteering Act for investigation, but I understand that owing to the number of other investigations at present pending the Committee have been unable as yet to institute an inquiry into this matter. I am calling the attention of the Committee to the facts stated in the question. I would, however, inform the hon. Member that a preliminary investigation into the price of yeast was made by the Standing Committee on Prices of the Central Committee as recently as May last, when the Committee decided on the evidence then before them that, having regard to the increase in the cost of wages and materials, the increase in the price of yeast did not appear to be unreasonable.