§ Mr. CHARLES EDWARDSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that during the control of foodstuffs by the Ministry of Food the Master Bakers' Association tried to prevent bakers who sold bread lower than the prices fixed by them from getting supplies of flour from the millers, and that this failed because the mills were under control too; seeing that such attempt may again be made, is1 there 761W sufficient power left with the Board of Trade to prevent this and to secure that flour can be obtained by any baker irrespective of the price they charge for bread; and, if no such powers exist, will he take steps to secure the same?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEI am aware that during the period of control,762W attempts of the nature indicated in the first part of the question were made in a few cases. With the return of open competition in the trade, following upon the recent decontrol of the milling industry, no difficulty should be experienced by bakers, under normal conditions, in obtaining their supplies of flour, irrespective of the price they charge for bread.