§ 27. Mr. Morleyasked the Minister of Food if he will make arrangements to supply a reasonable quantity of milk to old age pensioners free of cost.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI am afraid that we could not add to the groups receiving cheap or free milk.
§ Mr. MorleyIs the Minister aware that the old age pensioners in my constituency tell me that they cannot afford to buy coal and milk, and since his right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power has refused to help them in regard to coal, why cannot the right hon. and gallant Gentleman be kind-hearted enough to do something in regard to milk?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeIn the first place, I entirely disagree with the hon. Member's opening remarks, which certainly are not in accordance with the facts throughout the country. In reply to the second part of the question, to give even a pint of free milk a day would cost between £34 and £35 million per annum.
§ 36. Mr. F. Willeyasked the Minister of Food why, under subhead H of the original Estimate, he showed for milk, including milk welfare schemes, an expenditure of £81,000,000, whereas in his revised Estimate he now shows an expenditure of £75,800,000.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeThe reduction is due to the fact that the average realisation prices for milk assumed for the purposes of the revised Estimate differ from those assumed for the purposes of the original Estimate.
§ Mr. WilleyIs not one of the factors the fact that the seasonal prices for milk over the year amount, in fact, to rather more than what they were in the previous year?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeThere was a seasonal variation, particularly in the short period August to October.
§ 37. Mr. F. Willeyasked the Minister of Food why, under subhead H of the original Estimate, he showed for milk products an expenditure of £26,500,000, whereas in his revised Estimate he now shows an expenditure of £21,700,000.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeThis reduction in estimated expenditure is due partly to lower procurement costs than were originally allowed for and partly to increased selling prices.