§ 75. Mr. Crouchasked the Minister of Food the number of fat cattle and calves, sheep and pigs, which his Department have purchased from home producers during the last three years ending 31st August; and what has been the sum paid 371W for these during each year for each class of stock.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeThis information is not yet available. I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as possible.
§ 76. Mr. Crouchasked the Minister of Food how many gallons of home-produced milk have been purchased by his Department during the last three years ended 31st August; how much was paid for it during each year; how much milk has been imported from Ulster during the same period; and at what cost.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeFollowing is the information:
All milk sold off the farms in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is subject to guarantee under the Agriculture Act, 1947, but various methods are used to implement the guarantee and the milk is not all necessarily purchased by the Ministry.
Estimated purchases by the Ministry in the years in question were:
Year ended Million gallons £ million 31.8.51 1,461.64 208.18 31.8.52 1,472.98 222.63 31.8.53 1,554.17 241.23 NOTES
1. Purchase price includes quality premiums where appropriate and the transport award in the case of England and Wales.
2. These figures include all the milk sold off the farms in England and Wales and Northern Ireland with the exception of retail sales by producer-retailers but they do not include milk purchased and sold in Scotland through the agency of the three Scottish Milk Marketing Boards.
3. Transfers of milk from Northern Ireland to Great Britain have been made as follows:
Year ended Million gallons 31.8.51 2.25 31.8.52 6.34 31.8.53 3.45 The cost of transfer is part of the general cost of implementing the guarantee.