HC Deb 20 March 1950 vol 472 cc1540-1
35. Mr. Keeling

asked the Minister of Food what was the object of the letter addressed by his Department to Messrs. John Harvey & Sons, Bristol, as to their description of their sherry; and what action he proposes to take as a result of their refusal to omit the words "milk" and "cream."

Mr. Webb

When a trade mark application was made recently for "Bristol Milk" Sherry, an over-zealous official wrote a letter to the company raising the question of whether such a trade mark might not be a misleading description of the product. He should not have done so and the letter was quickly withdrawn. The second part of the Question, therefore, does not arise. But I would like to apologise to the firm concerned for any inconvenience they may have been caused by this mistake.

Mr. Keeling

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that to connect Bristol Milk, which has been sold under that name for 300 years, with the product of the cow is quite idiotic, and ought he not to employ officials who have a little more knowledge of the matters they are handling?

Mr. Webb

Since I have apologised, I do not want to add anything to the answer have given.