HC Deb 06 May 1941 vol 371 cc690-2
43. Mr. W. H. Green

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what steps he proposes to take to stop the present widespread evasion of the scheme of voluntary milk rationing resulting from consumers securing supplies from more than one milkman, and, in some cases, from as many as four retailers of milk; and will he, in this connection, consider a scheme of registration to ensure that no one person shall secure supplies from more than one retailer?

Major Lloyd George

The Sale of Milk (Restriction) Order requires all dairymen to restrict their non-priority sales of milk to six-sevenths of the quantity sold during the first week of March and to apply the same reduction so far as is practicable to each customer. If, therefore, a consumer is receiving milk from more than one dairyman each dairyman should make a reduction of one-seventh in the amount which he supplies. The total quantity received by a consumer should thus be curtailed by one-seventh, whether obtained from one or several dairymen. No reduction is enforced in cases where the total supply to the household is one pint or less per day.

Mr. Green

Does the Minister realise that now that the regulation does not apply to those who take only one pint of milk a day such a person can get three separate pints from three different retailers and consequently suffers no reduction whatever in his supply of milk, and does not that defeat the spirit of the Order?

Major Lloyd George

That may well be so, but I have not had any such cases brought to my notice. That aspect of the matter is however being looked into now. The aggregate amount of milk consumed cannot exceed six-sevenths.

Mr. Gallacher

Is the Minister not aware that in some places milk is supplied on six days a week and no milk is supplied on the seventh, and that on that day people are squinting around every part of the area in order to get milk from farmers or other dairymen? Can he not introduce a better method of working this scheme?

Major Lloyd George

The Ministry has made a strong request that milkless days should be avoided.

Mr. Buchanan

But is the Minister aware that milkless days do exist?

Major Lloyd George

I am aware that there has been a great improvement in its working since the scheme was initiated, and every step will be taken to improve it further.

Mr. Buchanan

Is the Minister aware that in parts of Glasgow the system of one milkless day a week is operated by certain private traders and that it causes terrible hardships, and has the person aggrieved any redress? Frequently children are the worst sufferers.

Major Lloyd George

We are watching every aspect of the matter very carefully. When the scheme was first started there were cases in which milkmen introduced a milkless day contrary to the wishes of the Ministry. We have expressed the wish that the milkless days should be stopped, and after what the hon. Member has told me I will look further into the matter and we will take every step to avoid milkless days.