HC Deb 05 June 1919 vol 116 cc2231-3W
Mr. HURD

asked the Food Controller whether, seeing that five weeks have now passed since his Milk Order discriminating against producers in the South-Western counties, he will now publish the actual costs of production in these and adjacent counties which would justify that discrimination?

Mr. ROBERTS

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer already given to him on this subject on the 27th May, to which I have nothing to add.

Captain TUDOR-REES

asked the Food Controller whether his attention has been called to resolutions of protest, passed at conference and mass meetings at Exeter, relating to the summer prices of milk in the four South-Western counties; whether he is aware that the farmers concerned are contemplating drastic action unless a modification of the Order is made before 6th June; and whether he has made the necessary arrangements to supply the community with milk in the event of the milk of these four counties being withheld from sale as a means of protest against what the farmers consider harsh and unfair treatment?

Mr. ROBERTS

Resolutions in the terms indicated in the first and second parts of the question have been brought to my notice. With regard to the third part, powers to arrange for the distribution and delivery of milk through the Food Commissioners and the Food Control Committees will be put into force should the necessity arise.

Colonel GRETTON

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he is aware that quantities of milk from the county of Somerset and also from Devon and Cornwall are sold in London and other large towns where the lower price of 2d. a gallon does not apply; and if he will state whether the price of milk in London is any lower to either the dealer or the retail consumer in consequence of the milk from these counties being, sold 2d. a gallon cheaper where it is produced by order of the Ministry of Food?

Mr. ROBERTS

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. All purchasers of milk exported from the four south-western counties pay to the Ministry of Food the difference of 2d. per gallon between the price of such milk and that of milk produced in the rest of the country. The money collected in this way by the Ministry is paid into a fund which is to be utilised for the benefit of the public in the reduction of the prices of milk or milk products, or in some-similar way.

Captain TERRELL

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the Thame and District Farmers' Society have for many months, through the Agricultural Organisation Society, endeavoured to obtain a licence to enable them to start business as wholesale dealers in milk, but hitherto without success; whether he is aware that this-society has about 170 members and is a branch of the Berks, Bucks, and Oxon Farmers, Limited; that its members have applied for 4,000 £l shares, and purchased a site for a depot; whether he will explain why the licence is refused; and what action should be taken to secure it?

Mr. ROBERTS

I have been asked to reply. The Berks, Bucks, and Oxon Farmers, Limited, have made application to the Ministry of Food for a wholesaler's licence, and such a licence has been offered them on certain conditions. I do not consider that it would be in the public interest that unconditional licence should be granted, as its effect would be to increase the price of milk in that district by creating an unnecessary middleman.

Mr. HURD

asked the Food Controller why the Report of the travelling Commission on which he has based his Milk Order discriminating against four of the south-western counties takes account of only one week's milk production in summer and one in winter and neglects the output of the other fifty weeks; and whether, in contradiction of the deduc- tion drawn from these partial and arbitrarily chosen figures, the last census of production shows the average production per cow in milk in these same southwestern counties for the twelve months to be the lowest in the -whole of England?

Mr. ROBERTS

The figures quoted in the Report were based upon the results of the Milk Census taken by the Ministry of Food for the week ending 2nd June, 1918, and the week ending 7th December, 1918. These weeks were carefully chosen as being typical periods of highest and lowest production, and the results obtained show that farmers in the south-western districts go in chiefly for the production of summer milk—a system of management which renders milk production much less costly. The figures of the Census of Production show the average yield per cow per annum, but do not bring out this seasonal variation in production.