§ 23. Sir CHARLES CAYZERasked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the fact that the present wholesale price of homemade English cheese is 40 per cent. lower than the prices ruling in December, 1931, and far below the cost of production; and what action he proposes to take, in view of the requests that steps should be taken to restrict the importation of cheese from abroad?
§ Major ELLIOTI am aware that the price of English Cheshire cheese is very considerably lower than at the corresponding period last year, when prices were for a short time abnormally high owing to exceptional circumstances. Cheddar cheese is, however, if anything, slightly higher than at the same date last year and both Cheshire and Cheddar are dearer than at the corresponding period in 1930. With reference to the second part of the question, I would remind the hon. and gallant Baronet that over 85 per cent. of the cheese imports into the United Kingdom are of Dominion origin and that under the Ottawa Agreements Act, 1932, cheese is one of the commodities in respect of which no quantitative regulation of supplies is contemplated before the expiration of three years.
§ Sir C. CAYZERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the conditions in the cheese industry are just as acute as those in the meat industry, and will he undertake to deal with the cheese industry with the same celerity that he has dealt with the meat industry?