§ 45. Mr. Dodds-Parkerasked the Minister of Food what is the average price at which soya beans are bought by his Department; and at what price they are sold to manufacturers in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. WebbSoya beans are sold to manufacturers at £59 per ton, but my Department is a trading concern, and I am not prepared to disclose the prices at which we are buying.
§ Mr. Dodds-ParkerAlthough I suppose that within the meaning of the words the right hon. Gentleman's Department is a trading concern—though I do not think it would be accepted as such by any successful trading concern—is it not simple to ask the producers what price they get? Is it not 1082 a fact that 34s. per cwt. is what the producer gets and does not the Minister consider that the margin between that price and 59s. is a little too much'?
Mr. StanleyAre we to understand that the Government consider that the difference between 34s. and 59s. is a very fair profit?