§ Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the extent to which cheesemakers are being adversely affected by increased imports of foreign cheese; what proportion of cheese imports he estimates to be subsidised; and what action he proposes to take in this matter.
§ Mr. Cledwyn HughesI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Westmorland (Mr. Jopling) and others this afternoon. The amount of imported cheddar and related varieties sold at lower prices in the United Kingdom than in the country of origin is about 40 per cent.
§ Miss Quennellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he 277W will make a statement of the progress of his talks with the foreign producers of Cheddar-type cheese, currently being imported into this country and sold at prices below the cost of home production.
§ Mr. Cledwyn HughesI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Westmorland (Mr. Jopling) and others this afternoon.