§ 61. Mr. Lewisasked the Minister of Food if he will take steps now to have next year's expected summer surplus of milk made into cheese, and thus improve next year's cheese ration.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI am already giving priority to the manufacture of cheese, and the cheese factories will be 1010 working to their maximum capacity during the period of next summer's surplus.
§ Mr. LewisDoes that mean that the manufacturers cannot use the surplus of milk to make cheese? Is that the reason why each year there is a surplus which is not turned into cheese?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeNo, there is another priority, which is for infant feeding. Cheese comes next to that, but the cheese production in this country at the moment is more than it was before the war.
§ Mr. Edward DaviesDoes the Minister appreciate that in the industrial areas there is a great shortage of cheese and, although the statement he has just made—that it is more than before the war—is rather astounding, would he do everything possible to make available more cheese to people who regard it as a regular item of their diet, as there is a very great shortage?