HC Deb 09 March 1959 vol 601 cc875-6
37. Mr. Dodds

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has now had an opportunity to consider the resolutions passed by the Cremona Conference with regard to the control of designations relating to the sale of ice cream which is genuinely made with milk fat or with substitute products, respectively; and to what extent he anticipates that it will be possible to observe the requirements of the Cremona resolutions in connection with the new regulations which he intends to introduce in connection with the sale of ice cream in Great Britain.

Mr. Godber

Yes, Sir. The proposed new regulations will accord with the resolutions passed at the Conference.

Mr. Dodds

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this answer, too, will give satisfaction? Does he not think that it is about time something was done, because the dairy people are thoroughly dissatisfied with the proposals so far about ice cream? Does he not think it is about time that ice cream really contained milk, and that if his Department is to protect the public it will have to be much mare stringent and make much more satisfactory proposals than it has done in the past?

Mr. Godber

I am more than usually gratified to find that I have pleased the hon. Member in two successive Answers to Questions. It makes me begin to wonder whether I have given the right answers.

Mr. Willey

Could the hon. Gentleman clarify an answer he gave me last week? Can he say whether he has now satisfied the Milk Marketing Board about its most recent representations under the regulations?

Mr. Godber

Its most recent representations on the regulations about ice cream?

Mr. Willey

Yes.

Mr. Godber

I am not sure whether we have completely satisfied the Board. What I intended to convey was that we have gone some way to meet the points which it put forward.

Mr. Ronald Bell

While agreeing with what was said about milk in ice cream, may I ask my hon. Friend to try to persuade the Minister of Health to stop calling monkey serum vaccine, because it seems to imply that monkey nuts are dairy products?