Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will furnish a statement of the profit and loss on Government sales of West African cocoa for the two years beginning October 1939 and 1940?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe Ministry of Food purchased directly the whole of the 1939–40 West African cocoa crop, and besides supplying the United Kingdom was responsible for the sales of this commodity throughout the world. The trading account for the period November, 1939, when the scheme was commenced, until 30th September, 1940, showed a total loss on the West African Trading Account of about £263,000. In respect of the 1940–41 crop the Ministry of Food 1135W purchased its own requirements only from the West African Cocoa Control Board and is distributing the cocoa to manufacturers in the United Kingdom. From 1st October, 1940, to 30th June, 1941, provisional figures show a profit to the Ministry of Food on its distribution of West African cocoa of approximately £382,000. This profit results almost entirely from the policy introduced on 1st March, 1941, by which the Ministry charges an additional £10 per ton to the manufacturer. Figures for the period July, 1941, to September, 1941, are not yet available.