§ 7. Mr. Peter Millsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps the Government are taking to stop the steady dilution of the pool price paid to British dairy farmers by the increasing imports of milk products.
§ Mr. HoyI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 28th February in this year.—[Vol. 759, c. 1394–5.]
§ Mr. MillsThis ever-growing flood—indeed, deluge—of imports of milk products will bring about a most serious situation in the dairy industry. Is it not time that the Minister took action to control dairy products imported into this country?
§ Mr. HoyWe do not under-estimate what is coming in. Nor does it do any good to exaggerate. However, we are discussing the whole matter with the National Farmers' Union and the Milk Marketing Board.
§ Mr. GodberSurely the Parliamentary Secretary is aware that the Chairman of the Milk Marketing Board has recently expressed grave concern about the matter. Has he given consideration to this matter, and has his right hon. Friend given consideration to what has been said by the Chairman of the Milk Marketing Board? If not, will the Minister give personal consideration to the grave situation that is developing on this front, which calls for definite action?
§ Mr. HoyPerhaps the right hon. Gentleman did not catch what I said in the concluding part of my answer. I said that we were discussing this whole matter with the National Farmers' Union and the Milk Marketing Board.