§ 38. Mr. R. T. EVANSasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will instruct the Agricultural Reorganisation 176 Commission for Milk to investigate the position of domestic producers of butter and to formulate a scheme for ameliorating it?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Elliot)In so far as the position of domestic producers of butter is affected by the working of organised milk marketing in Great Britain, I have no doubt that it will be reviewed by the Reorganisation Commission. In the circumstances my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, and I do not consider it to be necessary either to vary the terms of reference of the commission or to give it a specific instruction on this point.
§ Mr. EVANSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the unremunerative price which home-produced butter is fetching at the moment is one of the chief causes of the embarrassment of the Milk Board, by the butter producers being compelled to throw their milk on to the board?
§ Mr. ELLIOTThe Reorganisation Commission has already power to investigate that matter.
§ Mr. REMERCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether it is not the foreign imports of butter that are causing him and the Reorganisation Commission some embarrassment?
§ Captain HEILGERSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the butter which is produced by the farmer's wife is fetching an unremunerative price to-day and doing great harm to the millinery trade?