§ Mr. Concannonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on beer prices in the Mansfield area in relation to the prices and incomes policy.
§ Mr. PeartOn 1st January the Mansfield Brewery Company increased the wholesale price of some of its bitter beer concurrently with a long-term reorganisation of its rents structure. Discussions have been taking place since then between my Department, the company, the Brewers' Society and the Confederation of British Industry. As a result of these discussions, the company has agreed to withdraw from Monday, 13th March until the beginning of August the increase in the wholesale price of bitter beer, which the Government considered to be a breach of their present prices policy.
My Department will be discussing retail prices of beer in the Mansfield area with representatives of the Licensed Victuallers next week.