§ Major HOWARDasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he will make a statement showing how much per quarter of 504 lbs. the control keeps the price of home-grown wheat below that of imported wheat, and also approximately the monthly amount which is in this way diverted from agriculturists, including agricultural labourers, to assist in providing a bread subsidy for the benefit of much higher paid classes?
Sir A. BOSCAWENThe Board understand from the Wheat Commission that the average price of imported wheat is approximately 15s. a quarter above the price paid to farmers for home-grown wheat. On this basis, and assuming that the crop of this year amounts to 9,000,000 quarters, 'the monthly amount diverted from agriculturists would be £560,000.