Untreated Milk (Hansard, 7 March 1980)

§ Mr. Peter Walker

I recognise that there are many people who currently buy untreated milk for themselves and their families, and I believe that they should not be denied the opportunity to continue to do so, provided that they buy it direct from the producer himself and are aware that they are purchasing untreated milk. My right hon. Friends and I therefore propose to take the following376W steps in relation to England, Wales and Northern Ireland:

(a) producer-retailers' sales of untreated milk will be restricted to that produced by their own herds, and sales of untreated milk through intermediaries, such as dealers, will no longer be permitted;
(b) as soon as the last of the existing producer-retailer licences expires producer-retailers will be permitted to sell untreated milk only to individual consumers, for use by themselves and their immediate households. Sales to shops, schools, hotels and other catering establishments and institutions will no longer be permitted

We shall also introduce shortly additional labelling requirements in respect of untreated milk.

There is no longer justification for the 1p per pint premium to which farm-bottled milk in England and Wales is currently entitled under the legislation governing the maximum prices of milk. It is therefore proposed to end this shortly.

In order to assist those individual producer-retailers who wish to pasteurize their milk, a scheme of grants will—subject to the approval of Parliament—be introduced towards the cost of installing the appropriate plant.

The dates upon which these measures will come into operation will be announced when the practical implementation of the proposals has been discussed with those concerned.