§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increase has occurred in percentage terms in the retail price of milk in the United Kingdom since May 1979; and what has been the comparable percentage increase in the retail price index for food and for food products.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerBetween May 1979 and January 1983 the maximum retail price of milk increased by 56 per cent; the corresponding increase for all food items in the retail prices index was 35 per cent. However, the increase in the retail prices index as a whole was 51 per cent, over the same period. The size of the increase in the maximum retail price for milk is partly due to the need to meet the rising wage and fuel costs associated with the valuable doorstep delivery system.