§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTE (by Private Notice)asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that at a large meeting of dairy farmers held in Exeter on Friday last it was decided unanimously to collect sufficient signatures to demand a poll for the cancelling of the Milk Marketing Scheme at the earliest possible date, unless the award of the arbitrators was amended, and that in addition a large number of farmers agreed not to sign contracts under present conditions; and whether he proposes to take any steps to amend the award in order that better prices may be paid, that farmers may not be ruined, and that the scheme may not be wrecked?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI am aware that dissatisfaction has been expressed by farmers in Devon with the recent award on milk prices, but as I informed my Noble Friend the Member for Horsham and Worthing (Earl Winterton) on 19th March, I have no power to alter the award as such.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEIs not the Minister aware that the situation is desperate, and do not desperate situations require special measures for dealing with them? Would he consider asking Parliament to give him power to deal with this situation?
§ Mr. ELLIOTThere are various procedures under the Acts of 1931 and 1933, which would need to be exhausted before I could ask Parliament for further powers.
Major HARVEYDoes the Minister intend to use his powers before absolute ruin overtakes these farmers?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI think it would be inadvisable to discuss by question and answer whether absolute ruin is about to overtake everyone in Devon. The procedure under the Acts of 1931 and 1933 is known to my hon. and gallant Friend. The initiation of such action does not necessarily lie with the Minister.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTE (by Private Notice)asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will arrange for the publication of the cases put forward by the Milk Board and by the distributors on which the arbitrators gave their recent award, in order that this House and the public may be in full possession of the facts of the case?
§ Mr. ELLIOTThe question of the publication of the cases put forward is a matter for the parties concerned, and I do not think it would be proper for the Minister concerned to put this forward by way of request.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEHave not the Milk Board already published their case; and is there anything in the distributors' case on account of which they need be afraid to publish it? Why should they not publish it?
§ Mr. ELLIOTClearly, if either party decides to publish its case, it is at perfect liberty to do so. I am only saying that I do not think that it would be proper for the Minister to request either party to publish its case.