§ Mr. HOBHOUSEasked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to the illegal deduction of 2d. per gallon from the price paid to the producers of milk in the four southwestern counties; and whether the present Government will introduce a Measure to enable these deductions to be repaid to the milk producers?
§ Mr. MORSEasked the Minister of Agriculture the amount of the unauthorised licence fees held by the Government in relation to milk; when the amount will be distributed amongst the parties entitled, and the amount of such fees held by the distributing companies; and what steps the Government propose to take to obtain distribution amongst the parties entitled??
§ Mr. A. V. ALEXANDERI have been asked to reply. As was stated in this House on the 21st January by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for West Bristol (Colonel Gibbs), the deduction was made from the price paid to the distributors, not to the producers, of milk in the four south-western counties. The milk licence fees held by the Government amount approximately to £105,000. The amount of such fees held by the distributing companies is approximately £160,000. The proposals of the Government in relation to these licence fees will be submitted to Parliament at an early date.