§ 43. Sir J. REMNANTasked the Prime Minister if it has been brought to his notice that no further useful purpose can be served by continuing the control of the flour mills and by controlling the price of flour to the community; and whether, according to the world market price of wheat, the maximum price of the 4 lb. loaf should be 10d., in view of the fact that control is responsible for unnecessary hardships inflicted on the consumer?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of FOOD (Sir W. Mitchell-Thomson)I have been asked to reply. The continued control of the flour mills is a measure of necessity and not of choice. By virtue of an agreement made when control was assumed it cannot be terminated except by mutual agreement between the millers and the Government before 30th June next. Up to the present it has not proved possible to secure the assent of the millers to termination at any earlier date. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.