§ Mr. Charles Smithasked the Minister of Food under what agreement with his Department the flour milling industry is at present operating, and whether any matters still remain unresolved with regard to earlier agreements made in respect of operation from 1939 onward, what payments have been made to the industry additional to those mentioned in his written reply on this subject on 9th July of this year, and whether the amount of profit element due under agreements operating from 1939 onwards has yet been determined.
§ Mr. Strachey,pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 19th December, 1947; Vol. 445, Col. 427], supplied the following information:
Following upon negotiations between the British Millers' Mutual Pool, Ltd., representing the flour milling industry, and the Ministry of Food, the Millers' Remuneration Agreement has been renewed to 28th August, 1948, on the 335W same terms as for the year to 30th August, 1947. Continual progress is being made towards settling millers' financial accounts, but for various reasons, it is not yet possible to determine the exact profit element in respect of any Control year, as all accounts for each year have not been agreed. Total payments made to millers on account of flour milling, including an as yet undetermined element of profit, during the year to 31st August, 1947, were £51,300,000.
§ Mr. Charles Smithasked the Minister of Food, how many bakers drew subsidy during last year in respect of sacks of flour used for bread making, how many loaves his Department estimates are baked from a 280 lb. sack of flour, and at what basis the rate of subsidy is calculated.
§ Mr. Strachey,pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 19th December, 1947; Vol. 445, Col. 428], supplied the following information:
The number of bakers who have received bread subsidy during the past twelve months has averaged 17,200 per 8 weeks period of claim. The number of 1¾ lb. loaves produced from 280 lb. of flour is approximately 216. The bread subsidy at present is at the rate of 6s. 3d. per 280 lb. of flour used for England and Wales and 6s. per 280 lb. for Scotland and Northern Ireland. The rate of subsidy is calculated from time to time so as to yield a net profit to bakers of 5s. per sack of 280 lb. of flour used for bread sold at controlled prices
§ Mr. Charles Smithasked the Minister of Food what it is now estimated the subsidy on flour and bread will amount to during the course of the current financial year, how much of this will be accounted for by payments to stabilise the price of flour and how much by payments to bakers. To what main uses, other than the baking of bread, flour is at present put, and what proportions of the supply during the latest convenient period were put to each use named.
§ Mr. Strachey,pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 19th December, 1947; Vol. 445, Col. 428], supplied the following information:
The estimated cost of subsidy on flour and bread including wheat acreage payments during the current financial year 336W is £84,500,000, of which approximately £76,500,000 is the estimated cost of stabilising the price of flour and £8,000,000 the estimated cost of the subsidy paid direct to bakers. The main uses of flour, other than for the baking of bread, and the proportions of each to total usage are estimated as follow:
Per cent For cake and flour confectionery 10 For Domestic Use 7½ For Caterers 6½ For Proprietary and other bread not subject to subsidy payable to bakers 4 For Manufactured Foods and Cereal Filler 4 For Biscuits 3 35