2. Mr. De la Bèreasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider introducing legislation to prevent the continued practice of the large milling combines buying up smaller mills, since this practice results in men being thrown out of work and has a detrimental effect in the rural areas?
§ Mr. StanleyI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply he received to a similar question which he addressed to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries on 3rd April.
Mr. De la BèreIs my right hon. Friend aware that the milling combines have taken all the best and merely left the 262 remnants, and it is with respect to these remnants that I ask him to consider introducing legislation; and is he aware that, if legislation is not introduced, there will not be a single mill left in the rural areas, and is he aware that this is vital?
§ Mr. KirkwoodSeeing that milling is being made a monopoly, is it not time that the Government took over the whole of this industry?
§ Mr. StanleyThe effect of the reply to which I referred was that actually the number of mills had increased during the period.
Mr. De la BèreIs it not the fact that it included the port mills and had nothing to do with mills in the rural areas, and that it is totally and wilfully misleading?