§ 3.12 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their attention has been called to the Conference of European Milk Producers at Salzburg on April 9–11, at which it was revealed that the United Kingdom and Eire were the only two countries in Western Europe which have not banned the manufacture and sale of "imitation" or "filled milk" for human consumption, other than for dietetic or medicinal use; and if so, whether they propose to reconsider the Statutory Instrument 1960 No. 2331, which sets out the Regulations governing the supply of skimmed milk with non-milk fat.]
EARL WALDEGRAVEMy Lords, I am aware that there was a discussion of this subject at the conference of European Milk Producers but I have not yet seen a record of it or the evidence that was produced there. The Skimmed Milk with Non-Milk Fat Regulations have been in force for only a little over six months and Her Majesty's Government see no reason at present to reconsider them. I should like to remind your Lordships that the Regulations do not permit this product to be described as "filled milk".
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I am much obliged to the noble Earl. Would that 339 also preclude the use of the term, used in part of the Conference, of "imitation milk"? Would that be permitted, or is it ruled out under the Order?
EARL WALDEGRAVEMy Lords, if skimmed milk with non-milk fat is sold, it must not be sold under any title which could be held to mislead. We felt that the title "filled milk" could be held to mislead; it might be thought to be better than ordinary milk because it had something added. So we invented this long name of "skimmed milk with non-milk fat", sometimes abbreviated to SMAF. If anybody wanted to sell something called "imitation milk", I suppose he would be entitled to do so, but I do not know whether he could sell it.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, perhaps we ought to examine the Food and Drugs Act again. I am obliged to the noble Earl. I have some notes of what happened at the Conference, and if the Minister is not at present able to get a copy I will see that he has one.