§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will restore the ½p per pint differential between the retail price of Channel Islands milk and ordinary milk: and why the Government decided not to maintain the differential.
§ Mr. BishopNo. The premium on Channel Islands milk over ordinary pasteurised milk was raised from l½p to 2p per pint last November to forestall the possibility of a shortage of supply during the winter. The increase was subject to review after six months. In the event, supplies have increased whilst consumption has declined markedly, such that there is now a substantial excess of production over demand. It was, therefore, decided that the premium should revert to its former level of l½p per pint, with the objective of establishing a better balance between supply and demand. The level of the premium will be reviewed later in the year.