§ 27. Mr. LAMBERTasked the Minister of Agriculture if he can give information as to the regulation of milk products from Dominion and foreign sources into this country?
§ 28. Sir PERCY HURDasked the Minister of Agriculture if he can state the result of the conversations with foreign countries and the Dominions on the importation of milk products?
§ Major ELLIOTSince the reply I gave on 15th May to questions by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Salisbury (Major Despencer-Robertson) and my hon. Friend the Member for Henley (Sir J. Fox), I have had a consultation with Dominion representatives. I have also had to-day a further meeting with representatives of foreign countries from which we import processed milk products, and I hope shortly to be in a position to make a statement.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSDid the discussions include the commodities of cheese and butter, or were they confined to the other processed products derived from milk?
§ Major ELLIOTThese discussions merely covered the four products of cream, condensed whole milk, condensed skimmed milk and milk powder.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSHas the right hon. and gallant Gentleman taken note Since last week of the percentage of imports compared with the whole of the milk produced in this country, and is he not aware that it represents something like 3 or 3½ per cent., which cannot have much effect upon the English milk producers?
§ Major ELLIOTOf course, I took note of the percentage before I entered into negotiations, but I do not agree that it cannot have any effect upon the producers of milk in this country.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that the proportions only represent about 3 or 3⅜percent.?
§ Major ELLIOTIt may be, but they have a very immediate effect on the amount of English milk which goes into the manufactured products.