§ 39. Sir Charles Cayzerasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he 1358 has considered the complaints by makers and factors of cheese with regard to the detriment to English producers caused by so much cheese being imported from the Dominions and foreign countries and sold on the counters as Cheddar and Cheshire; and whether he proposes to make a marking order under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1926, making it compulsory for imported cheese to bear an indication of the country of its origin?
§ Sr. R. Dorman-SmithRepresentations have been made from time to time regarding the sale in this country of imported cheese described as Cheddar or Cheshire. It is, however, an offence under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1926, to sell or expose for sale in the United Kingdom any imported goods to which is applied the name of any place or district in the United Kingdom, unless the name is accompanied by an indication of the origin of the article. As regards a Marking Order, the Act provides that before an Order in Council can be made requiring the marking of any class of imported goods with an indication of origin, an application for an Order shall be made by substantially representative interests, and the application must then form the subject of a public inquiry by the Standing Committee set up for the purpose. I have, therefore, no power of initiative in the matter.