§ EARL DE LA WARRMy Lords, I beg to ask the starred question that stands in my name.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government what subsidies are now being paid from the Exchequer in order to reduce the price of milk to the consumer.]
§ THE MINISTER OF FOOD (LORD WOOLTON)My Lords, it is estimated that during the current financial year the expenditure incurred by His Majesty's Government in reducing the price of milk to consumers will be approximately £18,500,000 of which £13,000,000 is estimated to be the cost of the National Milk Scheme, and £3,000,000 is the estimated expenditure on the milk in schools schemes, whilst the remaining £2,500,000 represents a sum required to meet deficiencies incurred by the Milk Marketing Boards without raising consumers' prices.