Lieut.-Colonel HERBERTasked the Food Controller whether he will consider the advisability of fixing the price of milk at 2d. a gallon less than the present fixed price all over England?
Mr. ROBERTSI do not propose to alter the prices already fixed, which have been decided upon after the fullest consideration.
§ Mr. HURDasked the Food Controller what are the precise costs of milk production upon which he bases his decision to differentiate by 2d. per gallon against the milk producers of Somerset, Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall; and what steps he proposes in order to avert a serious milk shortage as a result of this differentiation and to prevent possible ruin to many smallholders and a grave discouragement to further settlement on the land of ex-soldiers and small producers?
§ Mr. McCURDYIt is not possible within the limits of a Parliamentary answer to deal with the first part of the question, as the costs of production were ascertained over a wide area and from a large number of witnesses. I may say, however, that the Report of the Travelling Commission showing the reasons which led to its recommendation that differential prices should be fixed in the four counties in question is being published as a Parliamentary Paper almost immediately. As regards the last part of the question, I do not anticipate that there will be a serious milk shortage in these counties, and I do not think that the prices fixed will have the effect described by the hon. Member in the last part of the question.