§ Mr. COMPTONasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been 568W drawn to the growing practice of selling Dutch half-meats as Cheshire cheese and to the varying standards of the percentage of fat in the dry matter of cheese in different parts of the country; and whether he will consider the desirability of issuing Regulations that imported half-meats shall be labelled as such when exposed for sale by retail anti that the minimum standard for Cheshire cheese should be 45 per cent, of fat in the dry matter or, if necessary, introduce legislation to amend the Food and Drugs Act to establish a legal minimum?
Mr. GUINNESSI am not aware that there is any growing practice of selling half-meat cheese, whether imported or home made, as Cheshire. There have been several successful prosecutions under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act against persons who have supplied skimmed milk cheese to purchasers who demanded Cheshire cheese, and the present law appears therefore to be sufficient to deal with this offence. Power to require the marking of imported cheese is provided for in the Merchandise Marks (Imported Goods) Bill at present before Parliament.