§ 71. Mr. SWANasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the average cost of sugar per lb. imported into the United Kingdom during the year 1919; and what was the average price per lb. at which it was sold to wholesalers, retailers, and consumers, respectively?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of FOOD (Sir W. Mitchell-Thomson)I have been asked to reply. The average cost of the sugar purchased in 1919 by the Royal Commission on the Sugar Supply was approximately 29s. 2d. per cwt. c.i.f., for raw sugar, and 37s. 9½d. per cwt. c.i.f., for white sugar. Sugar for grocery purposes was sold by the Commission from 1st January to 3rd November, 1919, at a wholesale price of 57s. 9d. per cwt. duty paid, equivalent to a retail price of 7d. per lb., and from 3rd November to 31st December, 1919, at 66s. per cwt. wholesale, and 8d. per lb. retail. Sugar for manufacturing purposes was disposed of in the first period at 57s. 9d. per cwt. duty paid, and in the second at 66s. per cwt., with the exception of sugar supplied to jam manufacturers, which remained at 57s. 9d. per cwt. till 29th December, 1919.