§ 62. Mr. Nuttingasked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that the Honey 60W Importers and Packers Association, of Old Broad Street, E.C.2, are forming a price ring for imported honey allocated for chemical purposes; that under this price ring chemists are forced to buy from a selected group of packers' firms at £120 per ton, honey passed to them by importers at £76 per ton, duty paid; and what steps he will take to put an end to this practice.
§ Sir B. Smith:In 1944 when there was an acute shortage of honey, a consignment was purchased by the Ministry at a price higher than the normal. To avoid increasing the price to the general public^ this honey was distributed to manufacturing chemists. As honey forms only a small item of the ingredient cost of pharmaceutical preparations, the prices of the products involved were not seriously affected. Supplies of this more expensive honey are now exhausted, and steps are being taken to bring down the price charged to chemists accordingly. A meeting on the subject is being held today, and I will let the hon. Member know the result.