§ 41. Mr. F. Willeyasked the Minister of Food whether as the trend towards increased fresh milk consumption has now been reversed and as less fresh milk was consumed in 1952 than in 1951 and 1950, he will now reduce the price of milk to promote greater consumption.
§ Mr. WilleyCould the hon. Gentleman say why he regards as satisfactory the consumption of milk, since it has now been reduced below the consumption of the past two years, in view of the fact that his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when in Opposition, said that he regarded milk consumption as the cardinal point of our food policy?
Dr. HillThe fall in the consumption of liquid milk in the country last year, as compared with the year before, was 1.6 per cent., and all such milk found its way into manufacture and thus to consumption. My right hon. and gallant Friend is not prepared to increase the subsidy on milk, which already stands at approximately £90 million.