HC Deb 17 December 1934 vol 296 cc825-6W
Captain CAZALET

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can give the House any information as to the use to which the publicity fund in the hands of the Milk Board has yet been put; and what steps, if any, have been taken to encourage the greater consumption of milk, excluding that amount which is being given to school children?

Mr. ELLIOT

The funds provided under Section 11 of the Milk Act, 1934, are available for meeting up to one-half of the expenses incurred by a milk marketing board in carrying out approved arrangements for increasing the demand for milk. The balance of the expenditure so incurred is met from the funds of the Milk Marketing Board which submits the arrangements for approval. The scheme for the provision of milk in schools, which has already been approved, comes under this arrangement. The question of other forms of publicity is at present engaging the attention of the Advisory Committee on Milk Publicity, appointed by the Milk Marketing Board, under the chairmanship of Viscount Astor, to consider these problems. The Milk Marketing Board also has funds derived from a levy on milk sales in May last, part of which, together with a contribution of equal amount from the distributors, is being devoted to general publicity in favour of increased milk consumption through the agency of the National Milk Publicity Council. I should be happy to arrange, if desired, for information as to the activities of the National Milk Publicity Council.