43. Mr. David Adamsasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that certain large milk distributors are now delivering milk on six instead of seven days per week to implement the Government order to reduce consumption by one-seventh; and, as this entails the use of milk two to three days old, will he protect consumers by enforcing the customary seven day deliveries?
Major Lloyd GeorgeMy Noble Friend has appealed to the milk distributors so to arrange the cut that the general discontinuance of milk distribution on one day of the week is avoided and a daily supply to the public maintained.
Mr. AdamsIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that consumers generally, unless this be done, will be forced to take milk which is probably unfit for human consumption unless properly bottled? Surely consumers are entitled to select the day on which they will take their short ration?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI think that if the hon. Gentleman reads my answer, he will see that all these points are met.
§ 44. Sir L. Lyleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware of the chaos prevailing in many districts of the country as a result of the operation of the scheme for the reduction of the milk supply to consumers by one-seventh; under what conditions of this scheme, based on household consumption at a much earlier date arbitrarily selected, additional milk can now be 155 obtained for fresh evacuees, or visitors or babies, other than by application under the free supply scheme, or by elaborate procedure obviating any immediate remedial action; and whether he will reconsider the whole scheme, basing it on rationing each household at so much milk per day, per person?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe introduction of the scheme for curtailing the consumption of non-priority milk by one-seventh has naturally involved considerable work. My Noble Friend is advised that the scheme is being introduced throughout the country with little disturbance of supply. Dairymen, whose demands for milk have increased since the first week of March, have been informed that they should apply to the Local Regional Officer of the Milk Marketing Board for an appropriate adjustment of their basic quantity. Pending the approval of the Regional Officer to the necessary adjustment, dairymen may supply additional milk for consumption by children temporarily home from boarding school or to new customers moving into their area. I am not satisfied that the adoption of the suggestion contained in the last paragraph of my hon. Friend's Question would result in improved distribution and utilisation of supplies.
§ Sir L. LyleDoes not my hon. and gallant Friend agree that the present system, which takes into account neither the number of people in a household nor the number of children in a household, but is based on what happened in one week during March, can never be a success?
Major Lloyd GeorgeMy hon. Friend will appreciate that it must be based on some date, and we thought that it would be better to base it on a date which did not give people the opportunity of taking more milk than they normally took. With regard to the number of people in a house, we appreciate the difficulties when people move, and arrangements are being made to overcome them. But when people move into one area some others may move out at the same time.
§ Mr. Evelyn WalkdenIn view of the statement made by the hon. and gallant Gentleman's Noble Friend that he would ration only those goods for which he could ensure a fair distribution, will the Parlia- 156 mentary Secretary make representations to him to consider the scheme submitted by the trade unions, which, in my opinion, is simple, equitable and just?