§ Mr. R. Gibsonasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he has considered the resolutions of the Greenock central branch of the National Co-operative Men's Guild protesting against the rise in the price of milk, and demanding an inquiry into producers' costs, protesting against the block system of milk delivery as leading to the creation of a disguised monopoly, and consequent saleable capital assets, copies of which resolutions have been transmitted to him by the honourable Member for Greenock; and whether he will make a statement?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe attention of my noble Friend has been drawn to the resolution to which my hon. and learned Friend refers. As regards the price of milk, there has since the outbreak of war, been only one rise in retail price over the price in the corresponding month of 1938–39, while at the same time the National Milk Scheme provides for milk being supplied to mothers and to children under 5 either free of cost or at 2d. per pint, which is approximately half the prewar price. The rise in the price of ordinary milk of ½per pint has been necessitated by the increase in costs which has resulted from the war. The production costs of milk have been regularly examined for a number of years and my noble Friend is satisfied that the increased prices recently guaranteed to producers are reasonable in view of the increased expenditure now required for milk production. As regards the block system of delivery, my noble Friend has no comment to make on the various unauthorised statements that have appeared in the Press except to say that he has no intention of instituting any changes in present methods of milk distribution until he has considered fully the report, just published, of the Committee which he appointed under the1232W chairmanship of Lord Perry to advise him on this matter.