16. Mr. FOOTasked the Minister of Agriculture the amount which will be repaid to farmers in respect to the two-pences; how many farmers will receive these repayments; and the approximate date when these repayments will be made?
The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE (Sir Arthur Boscawen)I am informed that the total amount of the licence fees in question is £264,492, of which £105,653 1889 was paid over to the Ministry of Food and £158,839 was withheld by licence holders pending a decision as to their liability. I am not in a position to say whether these sums or any part of them will be paid by the licence holders to the farmers whose milk they purchased, as that is a matter which must be arranged by negotiation between the farmers and the licence holders, and the Government have no power to intervene.