HC Deb 09 December 1981 vol 14 cc856-7
13. Mr. Pollock

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current size of the Scottish dairy herd.

Mr. Younger

The provisional results of the 1981 June census show a dairy cow herd of 278,000.

Mr. Pollock

Given those interesting figures, does my right hon. Friend agree that it is essential for the Government to do all in their power to protect Scottish producers from any measures that might discriminate against well-established and efficient methods of production?

Mr. Younger

I join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to the efficiency of our producers, who have a fine record of keeping up milk production—which is going well—despite a reduction in the size of the herd. As my hon. Friend will know, we do not like the co-responsibility levy, and we shall argue strongly against any proposal that discriminates against our producers.

Mr. Norman Hogg

Does the Secretary of State imagine that it helps milk production to appoint a member of the Social Democratic Party from my constituency to the Scottish Milk Marketing Board, especially as her knowledge of milk and milk production is as negligible as her knowledge of politics?

Mr. Younger

It is beyond me to say whether it helps any organisation to have a member of the Social Democratic Party appointed to it. However, if a person is capable of doing a good job for a public body, that ability is not necessarily affected by his or her allegiance to a particular party.

Mr. Maclennan

Will the Secretary of State lay aside his political prejudice for a minute and tell us whether he is satisfied with the downturn in the size of the milk herd?

Mr. Younger

I do not have any political prejudices about these matters, as I have shown by appointing one of the hon. Gentleman's friends to such a position. Given the production level and performance of the Scottish dairy herd, I am satisfied that a good job is being done in difficult circumstances. If production continues at its present rate, there is every prospect that this will be a record year for milk production in Scotland

Mr. Myles

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the decision of the Scottish Agriculture Department to require the pasteurisation of all milk by 1983 is wise in view of the recent outbreak of salmonella in the Keith area?

Mr. Younger

I agree with my hon. Friend. I was sorry to hear about the recent incident in Banffshire in which an outbreak of salmonella poisoning affected more than 400 people, including 100 children. That confirms that my decision was right.