§ 9. Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Food if, in view of the concern about the deterioration in the quality of milk, he will take steps to ensure an absolute minimum for the compositional quality of milk, below which it would be an offence to sell milk, instead of the presumed standard in operation at present.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI must ask the hon. Member to await the report of the Working Party on Quality Milk Production who are studying this matter.
§ Mr. DoddsWill the Minister bear in mind that the overwhelming evidence from the National Dairymen's Association and the spokesmen of the county councils is that the standard of milk is seriously deteriorating?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeIt is the purpose of this committee to investigate that and on their report will be determined what further action will be taken.
§ 20. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Minister of Food to what extent adequate supplies of fresh milk will be available for liquid consumption during the winter months.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeProvided there are no abnormal weather conditions, supplies of fresh milk should be sufficient to meet the normal demand for liquid consumption.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonHow does the Minister explain the fact that pasteurised and non-pasteurised milk have been mixed together before sale to the public, and that milk 49 or more hours old has been distributed?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeThat is not the question which the hon. and gallant Gentleman asked me. It was whether there would be enough milk available during the winter months, and I said that there was no reason to suppose there would not be.
§ Mr. DoddsDoes not the Minister agree that putting up the price of milk recently has saved there being a scarcity of milk, because many people cannot afford the milk?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI am very glad to have an opportunity of refuting that statement completely. The actual short-take of milk from 19th September to about 7th October was purely seasonal. It happens every year. Consumption this year is practically the same as it was last year.
§ Mr. WilleyWould the Minister agree that every month since the price increase has shown a fall, and that it has averaged between 3 million and 5 million gallons of milk per month?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeNo, Sir. The seasonal shortage this year, which is the ordinary seasonal shortage shows a loss of about 5 per cent. The estimated consumption this year compared with last year is practically the same.
§ 27. Lieut.-Commander Maydonasked the Minister of Food what percentages of our annual milk production in the United Kingdom are used in cheese-making, dried milk products and tinned liquid milk products, respectively; and what proportion of the United Kingdom requirements in these three products is met from home-produced milk.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeAs the reply contains a number of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the information:
| The figures are estimates for the year 1952. | ||
| Percentage of milk production in the United Kingdom used for manufacture | Percentage of milk products manufactured from home-produced milk for consumption in the United Kingdom | |
| Rationed cheese | 6.9 | 35.0 |
| Dried milk products | 2.8 | 42.0 |
| Tinned liquid milk products | 3.7 | 74.0 |
§ 44. Mr. Willeyasked the Minister of Food the amount of full price fresh milk consumed in September, 1952.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeApproximately 107 million gallons in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. WilleyDoes the right hon. and gallant Gentleman now agree that, disregarding seasonal variations and taking every month with the corresponding month of last year, since the increase in the price of milk this summer the consumption of fresh milk has dropped by between 3 million and 5 million gallons per month prior to this September, when it dropped by several hundred thousand gallons?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeMy estimate, as I told the hon. Member, is made by taking the year as a whole and September was practically the same in 1952 as in 1951.
§ Mr. WilleyDoes the right hon. and gallant Gentleman realise that I am not asking him to take each year with the other year as a whole, but I am suggesting that, subsequent to the price increases, there has been a very serious and drastic fall in the consumption of milk?
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonAs fresh milk includes milk which is at least 48 hours old, can the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say how long fresh milk remains fresh and how old is some of the fresh milk for the distribution of which he is responsible?