§ 8. Mr. Peytonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that the present method of paying the subsidy on milk which, save in the case of Channel Islands herds, takes no account of butterfat content, is in the best interests of the producer and the consumer; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. AmoryThe Milk Marketing Board is responsible for payments to producers. A special committee of the Board has been set up to consider this problem, and their conclusions must be awaited.
§ Mr. PeytonWould my right hon. Friend accept, as a principle, that it is desirable that extra payments and rewards should be given for improved quality? Would he do his best to implement that principle by introducing a policy which 966 will give these rewards to those people who give the quality for which, after all, successive Governments have asked?
Mr. AmoryYes, but I would remind my hon. Friend that the most important elements in milk are the non-fatty solids. We must also remember that in this country we are producing milk primarily for liquid consumption. The whole question is very controversial. With the present practice of bulking milk, I do not think that the consumer is suffering.