§ 29. Mr. Stodartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what price in pence per gallon was guaranteed to milk producers in Scotland as a result of the Price Reviews in 1965 and 1954, respectively.
§ Mr. RossFor the area of the Scottish Milk Marketing Board, which covers the major part of the country, the figures are 41.91d. and 37.33d. respectively. The latter figure includes a restrospective award given at the time of the 1955 Review.
§ Mr. StodartThis is a difference over the 12-year period of 4½d. Can the Secretary of State explain why he and his hon. Friend the Minister of State have repeatedly used the calculation of 2d. over a different 12-year period but during which the net difference was only id., and, therefore, the proper answer should be not 2d. but 3¾d.?
§ Mr. RossI hope that the hon. Gentleman will concentrate on making his own speeches and not on making mine for me. If he will refer to the recent speech I made on the Price Review and the one by my hon. Friend in the Adjournment debate, he will see that there was no contradiction between what we said and the actual facts. We said that in the 12 years of Tory administration prior to last year's Review, the price went up by about 2d. In fact, it was 2½d. [HON.MEMBERS: "No."] Yes, prior to the last Review. I said this at the time when we were considering the 1965 Review, so obviously we were talking about the last Tory Review. If the hon. Gentleman wants any more figures, let him take the two years 1965 and 1954 which are here mentioned. In 1954 the Tories reduced the guarantee on milk by 1d. In 1965 we increased it by 1d.
§ Mr. MacArthurDo not these replies from the right hon. Gentleman show that he and his right hon. and hon. Friends have been making most slippery use of arithmetic in their presentation of the Price Review figures? Is not he aware that the figures put before the House do not represent the comparative picture as he and his right hon. Friends suggested they did, and is not an explanation called for?
§ Mr. RossAll the hon. Gentleman has to do is to put a Question down to me asking for the changes made in each particular year, and then even he will be able to see that the figures are accurate and the comparisons valid.