§ 82. Earl WINTERTONasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has taken any further action with regard to the price paid to growers of soft fruit by the jam manufacturers, and the price charged by manufacturers for the fruit when made into jam to the public?
Sir A. BOSCAWENThe inquiries which have been set on foot as to the 2339 prices offered by jam manufacturers to growers of soft fruit this year have not been completed. I will inform the Noble Earl later of the result, but I should like to point out that I possess no powers which could enable me to control either the price of fruit or of jam.
§ Earl WINTERTONDoes not the right hon. Gentleman admit that his Department is responsible in matters of this kind, and if there appears to be primâ facie evidence of a combine, is it not the duty of his Department to refer the matter to the Committee on Trusts or to the Central Profiteering Tribunal?
§ Mr. WATERSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, unless the inquiry be expedited, it would be a soft inquiry, instead of an inquiry into soft fruit?