Soldiers' Families, Germany (Milk)

HC Deb 01 May 1951 vol 487 cc989-90

31. Mr. Heath

asked the Secretary of State for War what provision is made for the children of men serving with the British Army of the Rhine to obtain fresh milk.

Mr. M. Stewart

All milk for the families of British forces in Germany has to be tinned, as it is not possible to obtain and distribute safe fresh supplies.

Mr. Heath

I understand that the American forces in Germany are able to get fresh milk which is brought for them from Denmark. Cannot the same arrangements be made for the British Forces in the British zone?

Mr. Stewart

We inquired into the possibility of supplies of fresh milk from Denmark. We had to abandon it partly on grounds of cost, but partly because it was not possible to distribute the milk before it went bad.

Mr. Henry Hopkinson

Is it not a fact that the tuberculosis rate in Western Germany is the lowest in Europe, including this country?

Mr. Stewart

I could not say that without notice, but our medical advice is that the fresh milk in Germany would not be safe.