§ Mr. H. Stewartasked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the fact that the Straw Trading Company in Scotland pay merchants for wheat straw delivered by road to the paper mills £4 12s. per ton, and for straw f.o.r. £4 7s. per ton, whereas the Paper Control sell this straw to the paper makers delivered at the mills at £5 10s. per ton, what profit 231W is made by the Straw Trading Company and by the Paper Control on the sale of such straw; and to what purpose is such profit devoted.
§ Sir S. CrippsThe Straw Trading Company is a non-profit making company and the selling price has not in fact enabled the Paper Control to make a profit. The price has indeed had to be raised from 7th July to £6. The difference between the buying and selling prices is largely accounted for by over-all cost of transport which has increased as a result of the shortage of straw in certain areas leading to larger hauls. In addition, a much lower price is charged for straw used in substitution for waste paper for making boards.