§ 63. Mr. Mathersasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food 1945 what is done with supplies of milk at week-ends when priority deliveries are not being made to schools; and whether school holidays at the Christmas season will result in more liquid milk being available for adults who have been short of supplies during recent weeks?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe milk not required for schools during week-ends is available for distribution to other consumers. The answer to the second part of the Question is in the affirmative, except in so far as the milk released from schools is required for children home from boarding schools and for whom special arrangements have been made to ensure that they receive their domestic priority supply.
§ 64. Mr. Mathersasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is now in a position to make a statement with regard to milk supplies in Scotland, especially in relation to the position of non-priority customers of cooperative societies, who have suffered serious cuts in deliveries?
§ 65. Mr. Gallacherasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he has considered the resolution from the Fife and Kinross Co-operative Conference Association, sent to him by the hon. Member for West Fife protesting against the shortage of milk supplies; and what further steps he is taking to secure adequate supplies of milk and an equitable system of distribution?
Major Lloyd GeorgeSupplies of milk in Scotland are still insufficient to meet the needs of dairymen as shown on their certificates of requirements, which provide for priority consumers the quantities prescribed by the Milk (Scheme of Supply) Order and for non-priority consumers on the basis of two pints per head per week. Continuous efforts are being made to allocate supplies in a manner which will provide a uniform quantity for each non-priority consumer, but the work of Food Offices and of the Regional Milk Supply Officers has been hampered by the failure of many Scottish consumers to register for milk, despite the repeated reminders which were issued at and after the inception of the distribution scheme. This failure delayed the calculation of firm figures of dairymen's requirements and has given rise to much unnecessary work which has not yet been completed, 1946 despite the valuable assistance which the Ministry's officials have received from the distributive trade.
§ Mr. MathersIs there no failure to register in England, and when does the right hon. and gallant Gentleman hope to be able to solve this problem?
Major Lloyd GeorgeRegistrations in England are at a very much higher level than they were in Scotland. It is extremely difficult to make arrangements unless we get to know through registration what the demand will be. As far back as last August the original request for registration was made, and three months later, in some parts of Scotland, 20 to 25 per cent. of the people had not registered. In regard to the supply position, I am glad to say that arrangements are being made by which surpluses in other areas will be sent to Scotland.
§ Mr. GallacherIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware of the fact that producer-retailers can supply the full amount to their customers, while next door those who are trading with the cooperative societies cannot in many cases get milk? In my own case last week we only received three pints instead of the six pints to which we are entitled, and that is common all over the country. Producer-retailers have abundant supplies and the co-operatives have none.
Major Lloyd GeorgeI am aware of that, but it is not confined to Scotland. It also applies in England, and what we are trying to do now is to make up the deficiency in Scotland from the surpluses available in other areas.
§ Mr. GallacherBut will not that be necessary to supply milk in accordance with actual registrations?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI must repeat that if we are going to make arrangements by which surpluses can be diverted from one area to another where there is a deficit, we must at least know what the demand is going to be. We have made repeated requests to the public to register, and while I must take some responsibility, that responsibility must be shared by the public.
§ Mr. BuchananIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that in Glasgow, where registration has not been bad, the well-to-do people can get abundant milk 1947 while the very poor can get none, and is he taking any steps to rectify that?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI am sorry to have to contradict my hon. Friend, but up to 18th November, three months after the original request was made, 20 per cent. of the consumers in Glasgow had not registered. We are, however, doing what we can to move milk in from other parts of the country.