HC Deb 04 November 1976 vol 918 c675W
Mr. Watkinson

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide a breakdown of the payments made to the various agencies which are involved in getting milk from the farmer to the doorstep.

Mr. Bishop

The only organisations to receive such payments out of Government funds are the Milk Marketing Boards in the United Kingdom. The controlled maximum retail price of liquid milk is below the level that would be necessary to finance the guaranteed price to producers and the costs of milk distribution. Payments, therefore, are made to the Boards to make good the deficit and these represent the cost of the milk subsidy.