§ 7. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent retail milk sales have been affected by the removal of the subsidy on 1st January last and the increase of ½d. a pint in the price charged to consumers.
Mr. AmoryIt is provisionally estimated that liquid milk sales for January, 1957, were about 1.2 per cent. less than they were in January, 1956.
§ Mr. HurdDoes my right hon. Friend take the view that this very insignificant fall is a temporary one and that it is a very encouraging sign of resilience in public demand, even when realistic rather than subsidised prices are charged?
Mr. AmoryI hope very much that consumption will rise. If the general public will follow my example and drink as much milk as I do per day, there should be no further trouble for years to come.
§ Mr. WilleyIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that most people do not enjoy the same income as he does, and that this increase is not a temporary one? Is he further aware that it will be aggravated by the mean increase made in the price of welfare milk?
Mr. AmoryThe question of welfare milk does not arise on this Question. At present general retail prices I am quite satisfied that milk is most excellent value as a foodstuff.
§ 26. Mr. Championasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what help is given to the milk producer whose percentage of solids not fat is persistently below the permitted minimum content of 8.5 per cent.
Mr. AmoryWhere a milk producer is in difficulty over a consistently low percentage of solids not fat, the N.A.A.S. is ready to investigate conditions on the farm to see what remedies can be suggested.
§ Mr. ChampionDoes it in fact give this advice? The information in my possession is that a farmer who had been in trouble about this matter for some considerable time received no help whatever from the N.A.A.S., despite his requests.
Mr. AmoryThe causes of this trouble are at present not fully understood, as 567 the hon. Member will agree. If he knows of a case where he thinks the National Agricultural Advisory Service ought to have been of assistance and has not been of assistance, I should be very grateful to him if he would let me know.
§ Mr. CrouchDoes not my right hon. Friend think that it is something to do with badly balanced nutrition for the cows which brings about a good deal of this trouble?
Mr. AmoryWhere the experts themselves are very uncertain I should myself hesitate to intervene and express an opinion. I hope that we shall know the cause of this trouble in due course, but it will take some time.
§ Mr. G. BrownWould it be possible to have some better liaison than appears to exist between the dairies which turn down the milk on the ground that it does not reach the standard and the N.A.A.S., which does not know that that is being done? Could the dairies be asked to advise the N.A.A.S. about cases in which this is happening?