101. Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered the advisability of prohibiting the sale of milk until it has been cooled or refrigerated; whether such a measure would enable towns to get their supplies once daily instead of two or three times, thus obviating the necessity for ex- 1726 cessively early hours and leading to economy in working expenses; and whether he proposes to take any action?
§ Mr. LONGMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. As the hon. Member is aware, the Milk and Dairies (Consolidation) Act, 1915, enables the Local Government Board to make Orders regulating the cooling, conveyance, and distribution of milk intended for sale for human consumption. The operation of that Act has been suspended in consequence of the War. In a large number of cases cooling is now practised. I will consider whether any further action should be taken.
103. Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now received particulars of the price of Is. 6d. per gallon charged by dairy farmers for milk delivered in Glasgow; and whether he proposes to take any local action?
Mr. RUNCIMANI have been informed that the price of Is. 6d. per gallon relates to milk delivered by the farmers on the premises of the distributing dairymen. Further particulars regarding these contracts appear to me to be required before a final opinion can be arrived at with respect to the reasonableness or unreasonableness of the price, and I am causing further information to be obtained.