57. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Agriculture whether with a view to terminating milk rationing by the end of 1947, he will confer with the Minister of Food with a view to paying a bonus on increased gallonage of monthly outputs as compared with last year's production, and to import into this country more high-protein feedingstuffs for dairy cattle.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsThe impediment to the removal by the end of 1947 of existing restrictions on the supply of milk to consumers, does not lie in the price the producer receives, but in the physical capacity of the present national dairy herd to yield, with the feeding stuffs available, the necessary volume of milk. I confer frequently with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Food about means to increase supplies of home produced food, and I am happy to assure the hon. Member that the Government are importing, and will continue to import, all the protein and other concentrated feeding stuffs that can be procured.
Mr. Dc la BèreDoes the right hon. Gentleman really mean to tell the House that no increased gallonage would be produced by paying a bonus to those able to increase their gallonage? Is it impossible to pay a bonus, and increase production? Does he not realise that increased gallonage is urgent?
§ Mr. WilliamsYes, but I am also aware that the cow is unconcerned with bonuses. It may be of some interest to the hon. Member if I told him that the milk yield last November of 110 million gallons, compared very favourably with 91 million gallons in November, 1938.