§ LORD HINDLIPMy Lords, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government—(1) If any decision has been arrived at as to the price, wholesale and retail, for the sale of milk for the summer months, commencing on 1st May; (2) whether any decision has been arrived at as to the price of cheese, and if so, for what period and at what price.
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER (THE EARL OF CRAWFORD)My Lords, I have a somewhat complicated statement to submit to your Lordships, and I will ensure that an adequate report is printed in the OFFICIAL REPORT to-morrow morning. It is now possible to announce the summer prices (i.e., from May 1 to September 30) fixed for producers, wholesalers, and retailers of milk. These prices have been fixed after careful examination of the costs of production made by a travelling Commission which was specially appointed by the Food Controller for the purpose, and included representatives of the Central Agricultural Advisory Council, 344 the Consumers' Council, the Board of Agriculture, and the Costings Department of the Ministry of Food. The Commission has held twenty meetings, of which fourteen were in different parts of the country, and has received evidence, oral and documentary, from many reliable sources. Its recommendations have been approved by the Agricultural Costings Committee of the Ministry of Food.
The maximum prices per imperial gallon for sale by wholesale by or on behalf of the producer are as follows:—
| May. | June. | July. | Aug. | Sept. | |
| s. d. | s. d. | s. d. | s. d. | s. d. | |
| England and Wales, except the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and Dorset, and a certain part of the West Riding of Yorkshire | 1 4 | 1 3 | 1 6 | 1 8 | 1 10 |
| Scotland | 1 6 | 1 4 | 1 4 | 1 7 | 1 10 |
§ These prices are for cooled milk despatched twice daily by the producer.
§ LORD HINDLIPMay I interrupt the noble Earl on that point? Suppose it is impossible to despatch it twice a day, as it is in most parts of England?
THE EARL OF CRAWFORDThe next sentence will relieve the anxiety of my noble friend. The railway charges, if any, between seller and buyer are to be borne by the buyer. For milk delivered once daily there is a reduction of ½d.; and for milk collected by the buyer at the producer's premises there is a reduction of 1d. So much for the prices on behalf of the producer. Wholesale dealers other than producers are allowed a maximum margin of 2d. per gallon over the producer's price for milk delivered to the buyer's railway station; and over the five months an average maximum margin of 5d. for milk delivered to the buyer's premises. Where milk is delivered by the producer to or for the account of the buyer in accordance with the directions of the seller, the maximum price is ½d. higher than the price chargeable to the seller by the producer. It may be added that these margins are fixed on the basis of the wholesaler finding churns.
The maximum producer's prices as specified for England and Wales are reduced by 2d. in the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and Dorset. In the West Riding of Yorkshire (exclusive of certain food control committee districts) arrangements 345 will be made so that producers and distributors will receive an increase of 2d. per gallon. The general maximum retail price is as follows—
| May. | June. | July. | Aug. | Sept. | |
| s. d. | s. d. | s. d. | s. d. | s. d. | |
| England and Wales | 2 4 | 2 4 | 2 8 | 2 8 | 3 0 |
| Scotland | 2 8 | 2 4 | 2 4 | 2 8 | 3 0 |
§ Local maximum retail prices will be fixed in each Food Control Committee district or group of districts, according to local conditions of distribution, by or on behalf of the Food Controller. The general retail price in England and Wales is therefore 7d. a quart in May and June, rising to 8d. a quart in July and August, and becoming 9d. a quart by the end of September. As regards cheese, a reduction of 2d. a lb. to 1s. 6d. was made on March 9. The whole question of de-control is now under review, but the question depends to some extent on the quantity of foreign imports which will be available. Until the date of decontrol, maximum prices to the producer will be fixed on a parity with the milk prices.