§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give further details of his statement to Sally Moore of the Daily Mirror's Shopping Clock that he would investigate all cases reported to him about illegal overcharging on milk.
§ Mr. PriorThe Milk (Great Britain) Order 1971, as amended, lays down maximum prices at which various types of milk maybe sold, together with certain conditions of sale. Reports of alleged overcharging are fully investigated so that appropriate action can be taken.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he told Sally Moore of the Daily Mirror's Shopping Clock that the Government had 107W taken action to control milk, sugar and potato; and whether he will give details of the action he has taken.
§ Mr. PriorAs to milk and sugar, I would refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave on 8th March to my hon. Friends the Members for Torrington (Mr. Peter Mills) and Devizes (Mr. Charles Morrison). As to potatoes, in accordance with an announcement I made on 8th March arrangements have been made to enable farmers to vary Potato Marketing Board contracts freely thereby maintaining the flow of potatoes on to the market in order to restrain the normal seasonal increase in retail prices.—[Vol. 832, c. 359–60.]
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he took, or has taken, to restrict the increase in the price of sugar for the remainder of 1972; and to what extent, on entry into the European Economic Community, he will be able to restrict price increases on this basis without reference to the authorities in Brussels.
§ Mr. PriorI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Mr. Charles Morrison) on 8th March, and to the last sentence of the reply given to the hon. Member himself by my hon. Friend the Minister of State on 9th May.—[Vol. 832, c.359–60; Vol. 836, c. 321.]