§ 40 and 41. Mr. BUXTONasked the Minister of Health (1) whether he is aware that medical officers of health in certain areas have given public advice against the consumption of liquid milk by infants, on the grounds of impurity, in their administrative area; and, in view of this fact, what further steps does he propose to promote a clean supply;
(2) whether, in view of the Circular to the local authorities discouraging them from applying too zealously the Milk and Dairies Order, 1926, he will state what alternative steps is he taking to safeguard the public from the supply of polluted milk?
§ Sir K. WOODI will, with permission, answer these questions together. My right hon. Friend's attention has not been drawn to any recent instance of public advice being given by a medical officer of health against the consumption of liquid milk by infants. The right hon. Gentleman has not accurately presented 1180 the purport of the Circular to local authorities as to the Milk and Dairies Order. That Circular emphasised the importance of insisting on cleanliness in milk production, and, if the statutory requirements are observed and the Order is administered as suggested, my right hon. Friend does not think that further measures should prove to be necessary.
§ Mr. BUXTONIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in another place Lord Bledisloe alluded to the occurrence of medical advice of this character quite recently, and can he assure the House that the Minister of Health will resist any essential modification of the provisions of the Order?
§ Sir K. WOODI have no knowledge of the first statement of the right hon Gentleman. As regards the second, that is, of course, a purely hypothetical question which I am not in a position to answer. So far as the Order is concerned, the views of my right hon. Friend are represented in the Circular which he circulated on the 20th January last.
§ Mr. PALINGMay I ask whether the Order discouraging local authorities from carrying out these provisions was sent out as a result of the protests of agriculturists sitting behind the hon. Gentleman?
§ Sir K. WOODThe hon. Member has no right to characterise the Circular in that way. There is no reference in the Circular to any such statement.
Commander WILLIAMSIs it not the fact that the real danger is not from British milk, but from imported foreign milk?
§ Colonel DAYHas the Parliamentary Secretary seen the report of the medical officer of health for Woking, and, if not, will he have that report looked at?
§ Sir K. WOODI am not aware of that report.
§ Mr. A. V. ALEXANDERAs it is impossible to get clean milk for a large number of the working classes without getting dried milk, will the Minister of Health consider whether it is not possible to get compulsory circulation of bottled and pasteurised milk?
§ Sir K. WOODThat is another matter and does not arise out of the question.
Sir W. LANE MITCHELLMay I ask if it is not the case that 90 per cent. of the milk supplied in London now is pasteurised and bottled under the Regulations of the Ministry of Health, so that the London public is fully protected?