HC Deb 28 July 1943 vol 391 cc1590-1W
Mr. Leach

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware of the hardship caused by the Order of February last that a minimum stay of three weeks at a maternity home, hospital or convalescent home is necessary to enable a mother to claim priority milk, or free milk, or reduced price milk; that this arrangement multiplies the cost to such institutions, generally, by five; that the average stay of mothers is not more than 14 days; and is he prepared to restore the old arrangement?

Mr. Mabane

My hon. Friend appears to be misinformed. Institutions such as maternity homes, hospitals and convalescent homes which are registered under my Department's Welfare (Foods) Schemes can obtain a subsidy in respect of milk supplied to expectant mothers and children under five from the date on which they take up residence. If my hon. Friend will let me have particulars of the establishments in which he is interested I shall be glad to have inquiries made.

Major York

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what steps his Department has taken and is taking to assure a supply of tuberculin tested or accredited milk to those consumers who demand raw milk in areas subject to a nationalisation scheme?

Mr. Mabane

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend on 21st July, except that my Department has never contemplated giving any assurance on the lines suggested in the Question.

Lady Apsley

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will take steps to ensure that every household with young children shall have fresh milk delivered daily; and, in the event of there being insufficient half-pint milk bottles, to see that the priority for these bottles is given to such households?

Mr. Mabane

My Noble Friend is anxious that dairymen shall maintain a daily delivery of milk and where his attention is drawn to cases in which this is not in operation he will arrange for the matter to be taken up immediately with the local war-time association. As children under five are entitled to one pint a day, apart from supplies to other members of the household, a shortage of half-pint bottles would not justify failure to maintain daily deliveries to families with young children.

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