§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSYI beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he can say under what name is milk-blended butter sold with the approval of the Board of Agriculture, in accordance with the Butter and Margarine Act, 1907, when it contains more than 16 per cent., and under 24 per cent. of water; and whether, under the Act, there is any change in the description of margarine when offered for sale to the public.
§ SIR EDWARD STRACHEYNineteen names have up to the present time been approved by the Board for milk-blended butter. The law as to the manner in which margarine is to be described was amended by Section 8 of the Act to which the hon. Member refers.
§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSYIs it a fact that one of the names used for this butter is "Pearks's Own?"
§ SIR EDWARD STRACHEYYes.
§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSYHaving regard to the fact that a firm of the name of Pearks & Co. (Ltd.) sell this article as "Pearks's Own," are not the Board of Agriculture giving preference to this firm; furthermore, is the Board of Agriculture an advertising agency for this firm?
§ SIR EDWARD STRACHEYThe hon. Member must give notice of that Question.
§ MR. MYER (Lambeth, N.)Is it a fact that when people inquire for butter 444 —[A NATIONALIST MEMBER: They sometimes get margarine "]—they receive the answer from retail shopkeepers that they can sell them "Pearks's Own," which implies that it is butter; and whether it is not an evasion of the new Act?
§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSYIn view of the similarity between "Pearks & Co." and "Pearks's Own" will the hon. Gentleman take steps to change the name of milk-blended butter?
§ SIR EDWARD STRACHEYI will represent the opinion of the hon. Member to the President of the Board of Agriculture.