§ Mr. LESLIE SCOTTasked the Food Controller whether 500 tons of raw cocoa have recently been allocated at the British controlled price to the Dutch firm of Van Houtens for use by them in their factories in Holland upon an arrangement that they shall return 80 per rent., or some other proportion of the resultant products, to this country; and whether such arrangement 918W will in effect enable Van Houtens to dump their foreign-made goods in this country at a cheap price in competition with British firms who have at the request of the Government during the War incurred heavy cost for the express purpose of producing here a supply of the same goods?
§ Mr. McCURDYVouchers entitling Messrs. Van Houten, Limited, to purchase 500 tons of raw cocoa were recently issued to them by the Raw Cocoa Distribution Committee of the Ministry of Food. Subject to the agreement of the importers concerned to issue contracts in exchange for the vouchers, Messrs. Van Houten will obtain the raw cocoa in question at the prices ruling under the Haw Cocoa (Prices) Order, 1918. In this event I understand that the War Trade Department will be prepared to grant to Messrs. Van Houten licences to export the 500 tons of raw cocoa for use by them in their factories in Holland conditional on their returning to this country 95 per cent. of the resultant products. As it will be necessary for the firm to pay the appropriate duty on the importation of the resultant products and in addition the freight both on the raw cocoa from this country to Holland and on the resultant products from Holland to this country, they will not be so favourably placed as British firms who obtain similar raw cocoa at the same prices, and it is in consequence not likely that the competition to which the hon. Member refers will arise. I may add that the Raw Cocoa Distribution Committee is composed of representatives of every section of the cocoa and chocolate manufacturers, elected by the trade.