§ 28. Mr. KIRKWOODasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has considered the report from the Scottish Consumers' Committee regarding its investigations into the protests against the decision of the Scottish Milk Board to charge winter prices for summer supplies, and, if so, what action he intends to take to secure a reduction in urices as requested by the consumers; and if he is aware that the co-operative societies estimate the increased prices will cost Scottish consumers £1,300,000 extra in the Milk Board area?
§ 31. Mr. LEONARDasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received the report of the Consumers' Committee inquiring into the complaints directed against the prices fixed by the Scottish Milk Marketing Board for half-pint bottles of milk and for the summer period; what is the nature of their recommendations and if they are unanimous; and what action he proposes to take?
§ Mr. SKELTONMy right hon. Friend has received the reports of the Consumers' Committee on these complaints. He is at present considering the question of referring them to the Committee of Investigation. He would be obliged if another question on this point and on that of publication were addressed to him at an early date. My right hon. Friend is aware of the estimate referred to by the hon. Member for Dumbarton Burghs (Mr. Kirkwood), but it must not be assumed that he agrees with it.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODArising from the first half of the reply, if I put a question down in a fortnight's time will the hon. Gentleman be in a position to give a better answer?
§ Mr. SKELTONI suggest that the hon. Member put the question down for Thursday.
§ Mr. LEONARDCart the hon. Gentleman say whether the interim report of the consumers' committee was unanimous, and, if so, can he not act, in view of the fact that if we wait for the investigating committee to report, the summer will be over and finished?
§ Mr. SKELTONIn regard to the latter point, the hon. Member will recollect that the Act of 1931 laid down the procedure that the report of the consumers' committee, if the Minister thinks proper, may be sent to the investigating committee.
§ Mr. LEONARDMay I have an answer to my question as to whether the report was unanimous?
§ Mr. SKELTONI would prefer not to answer that question at this stage. Perhaps an early question might be put down on that point.
§ 35. Mr. MACQUISTENasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that in the islands of Islay, Coll, and Gigha the farmers are being refused the guaranteed minimum price of 5d. per gallon for manufacturing milk; and, in view of the injury to the islanders' cheese industry by the granting to mainland farmers of the guaranteed minimum price, coupled with the refusal thereof to the islanders, will he take steps to immediately secure equality of treatment for islanders and mainlanders and give the guaranteed minimum to both?
§ Mr. SKELTONAs there is no marketing scheme applicable to the islands referred to, the administrative machinery under the Government's proposals for guaranteeing minimum prices for milk used for manufacturing purposes is not available. It is open to the producers concerned to prepare and submit a milk marketing scheme under the Agricultural Marketing Acts.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENDoes not my hon. Friend see the practical difficulties of doing that? These people are being treated very harshly, and almost the only remedy left to them is to take out certificates of Danish nationalisation.
§ Mr. SKELTONI cannot accept that, although one is naturally interested in the future of cheese-making in these important islands. I think that, if my hon. 1536 and learned Friend and those interested in the matter would consider formulating a marketing scheme for themselves, they would not find the difficulties very great, and it would bring them within the orbit of the guaranteed price.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs my hon. Friend aware of the scattered nature of these islands, which makes it almost impossible for the people to act together? Their main industry is cheese-making. They make the best cheese in the British Isles, as is shown by the fact that the Co-operative Wholesale Society buy it.