Mr. Amoryasked the Minister of Food whether an agreement has yet been reached in the negotiations for revised milk distributive margins sufficient to enable retail milk distributors to maintain a full weekend service.
§ Mr. StracheyI met deputations from the Producer Retailers' Committee of the National Farmers' Union and the Executive of the Central Milk Distributive Committee on 19th February, and in the light 361W of the recent White Paper on "Personal Incomes, Costs and Prices" (Cmd. 7321) discussed with them their claim for an increase in the retail margin. I have reached the conclusion that it would be contrary to the White Paper policy to grant an increase. I urged the trade to maintain their full services to the public during the present economic difficulties and to co-operate in carrying out the White Paper policy.