HC Deb 30 October 1975 vol 898 cc603-4W
Mr. Hardy

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what has been the comparative position of the price of milk in relation to the movement of prices of other foodstuffs over the last five years.

Mr. Maclennan

Over the five years ended September 1975 the retail price of a pint of milk rose from 5p to 7p representing a 40 per cent. increase. Over the same period the retail food index, including milk, rose by 112 per cent.

From 2nd November 1975 milk will be selling at 8½p a pint, which is 70 per cent. more than the September 1970 price of 5p a pint. Milk is subsidised to the extent of 2p a pint, so without the subsidy milk would be selling at 10½p a pint from 2nd November. This would be 110 per cent. above the price in September 1970, an increase only slightly less than the 112 per cent. rise in the retail food index.