1094 



Home -Grown Wheat Prices. 



[Mar., 



that sort. As regards sales that took place before, for instance, 

 from the 6th November roughly up to the present time, where 

 a less sum has been paid than 95s. (the maximum certainly 

 operated at that time, because the price of imported wheat was 

 above it) in those cases, where the seller has been paid, the 

 millers will be instructed to recoup to the person from whom 

 they bought wheat, the difference between the price actually 

 paid and 95s. for wheat of sound milling quality, and in the case 

 of inferior wheat that is still good enough for the mill, a pro 

 rata difference. 



Of course a difficulty arises there, which we quite realise, 

 that a lot of the wheat was not sold direct to the miller, but was 

 sold by the dealer, and there may have been several transactions. 

 In these cases, all the miller can do will be to recoup the person 

 from whom he bought wheat the difference, and it will be up to 

 the National Farmers' Union to see that the proper sum is 

 passed back to the actual producer. I understand that probably 

 the National Farmers' Union would be able, in most cases, to 

 arrange that. (The conference agreed that there would not be 

 likely to be any difficulty on this point, although certain cases 

 might possibly give trouble.) 



Well now, there is one point I should like to mention. I have 

 told you that the pledge was for a maximum of 95s. so long as 

 control continued, and that we are prepared, for the purpose of 

 carrying out the pledge, to accept your view that there is still 

 control. If the pledge is to be interpreted literally, supposing 

 decontrol did take place in the immediate future, which is not 

 very likely, but still it might occur, say, on the 31st March, 

 strictly speaking our pledge would be fulfilled because the con- 

 ditions under which the guarantee was given would no longer 

 exist, but it is certainly the intention of the Prime Minister, and, 

 I think, of the Cabinet, that as the pledge was really understood 

 to be a guarantee for the year, and as the date of decontrol is 

 doubtful, that we should not boggle over it. We want the 

 farmers to feel absolute confidence, and therefore we will to all 

 intents and purposes see that this guarantee is given for the 

 whole of the rest of the cereal year. (Hear, hear.) I suppose, 

 strictly speaking, we should fix a date — say about the 13th 

 August, but this is only a suggestion, it has not yet been fixed 

 definitely. 



Well now, gentlemen, that is in broad outline, the conclusion 

 we have arrived at in order to carry out the statement and pro- 

 mise given by the Prime Minister yesterday, and I hope that 

 the Farmers' Union will realise that the Prime Minister has 



