§ Mr. Simpsonasked the Minister of Agriculture (1) how many milk producers have been served with High Court writs since the operation of the Milk Board;
1650W(2) how many milk producers have been served with county court summonses since the operation of the Milk Board?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonI am informed by the Milk Marketing Board that since the inception of the Milk Marketing Scheme proceedings against registered producers, who number approximately 149,000, for the recovery of moneys due to the board have been taken in approximately 8,200 cases in the county court, and in 450 cases in the High Court. The board further inform me that in more than half of the cases a settlement was effected before the hearing.
§ Mr. T. Williamsasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will state the total output of milk in Great Britain for the year prior to the establishment of the Milk Marketing Board and the output for each succeeding year, the liquid sales for each year and the quantities diverted to manufacture, and the average price in each case; and the amount of subsidy paid each year since 1934?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonThe estimated total quantities of milk produced in Great Britain in the years 1932–33 to 1935–36, excluding milk fed to livestock of which no particulars are available, are as follow:
Million gallons. 1932–33 (1st June-31st May) 1,517 1933–34 (1st June-31st May) 1,551 1934–35 (1st June-31st May) 1,570 1935–36 (1st June-31st May) 1,587 These estimates are based on the assumption that the average lactation yield has remained unchanged since 1651W 1930–31, which is the latest year for which such information is available.
The following table shows the quantities of milk sold under milk marketing schemes for liquid consumption and for
Liquid consumption. Manufacture. Year (1st October— 30th September). Quantity sold. Weighted average annual wholesale price. Quantity sold. Weighted average annual price.* (Thousand gallons.) (Pence per gallon.) (Thousand gallons.) (Pence per gallon.) 1933–34(a) … … 692,511 13.96 246,158 5.47 1934–35 … … 745,530 14.97 361,272 5.59 1935–36(b) … … 748,844 15.11 410,792 5.50 * Including advances under Milk Acts, 1934 and 1936. (a) During 1933–34 the Scottish Milk Marketing Scheme was in operation for 10 months and the Aberdeen Milk Marketing Scheme for two months only; while the North of Scotland Milk Marketing Scheme did not come into operation until 1st October, 1934.
(b) Figures for 1935–36 are provisional.
The particulars given in this table are based on information collected by the respective milk marketing boards, and take no account of tuberculin tested milk produced in England and Wales, or of milk consumed in farm households or used for manufacture on farms, or of milk sold or used by producers who are exempted from the provisions of the milk marketing schemes.
The amounts of the payments made under Sections1, 2 and 3 of the Milk Acts, 1934 and 1936, to milk marketing boards in Great Britain were:
£ 1934–5 1,233,060 1935–6 1,714,524 1936–7 (up to 28th February) 620,295
§ Mr. Simpsonasked the President of the Board of Trade how many milk producers have gone into bankruptcy since the Milk Board started?
§ Captain WallaceBankruptcy returns are not maintained in respect of milk producers, as this business is not easily separable from other agricultural activities, and I regret, therefore, that the information desired by the hon. Member is not available.