HC Deb 04 December 1933 vol 283 cc1288-9
21. Sir MURDOCH McKENZIE WOOD

asked the Minister c) Agriculture what is the per capita consumption of milk in the principal cities of Great Britain com- pared with the consumption in cities in the United States, the Scandinavian countries, and any others for which particulars are available?

Mr. ELLIOT

I regret that there is no information available, so far as I am aware, more recent than that in a report on the Fluid Milk Market in England and Wales, published in 1927 as one of the Ministry's Economic Series of Reports (No. 16). Tables showing the estimated per capita consumption of milk per day in the principal towns in England and Wales, and in certain countries, including the United States and the Scandinavian countries, are given on pages 109 and 131, respectively, of the report, but I should point out that the figures there given relate to years as far back as 1920 and 1923.

Sir M. WOOD

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think it advisable to bring these figures up to date?

Mr. ELLIOT

All these things require expense, and my right hon. Friend objected a great deal to the amount of expense which is incurred in connection with these statistical returns.

Sir HERBERT SAMUEL

Is there any additional expense involved in obtaining this information from our Consuls I

Mr. ELLIOT

It is one thing to get average figures, but my right hon. Friend will appreciate that to get accurate figures of this kind would require a little more than a simple inquiry from our Consuls.