Untreated Milk

HC Deb 07 March 1980 vol 980 cc379-80W

Mr. Pollock

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has reached a decision on future retail sales of untreated milk.

Mr. Younger

In Scotland, raw, untreated milk is available in only a relatively few areas, and there is little evidence of positive consumer demand. The numbers of producer retailers selling raw, untreated milk by retail has dropped very considerably in Scotland since 1975, when the proposal to restrict these sales was announced by the last Government.

I have therefore decided that in Scotland it would be wrong to take any action which might halt or reverse this trend. From 1 August 1983, retail sales of raw, untreated milk will, as previously intended, be restricted to sales in those few areas where a supply of heat treated milk is not readily available.

There is in my view no reason to continue the existing premium of 1p per pint on raw, untreated milk sold retail,

	£m. at 1980–81 estimated outturn prices
	1979–80 Final allocations	1980–81 Final allocations
Scottish Special Housing Association	…	…	…	46.5	42.0
New Towns	…	…	…	…	…	38.7	37.6
Housing Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	57.3	63.5

The above figures take account of the latest estimates of the actual movement of prices between November 1978 and 1979–80 outturn

Mr. Cook

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Ancram) on 21 February, if he will publish the total Scottish public expenditure on housing, undifferentiated between capital and current, for the years 1978–79, 1979–80 and 1980–81, all at comparable price levels; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Younger

The information requested is £652 million for 1978–79 and £697 million for 1979–80, both at 1979 survey prices. As regards 1980–81 and the request for a statement, I refer the hon.

and this will be discontinued shortly. Further, in order to assist the remaining few producer retailers who sell raw, untreated milk to pasteurise their output, I propose to make available, subject to parliamentary approval, a scheme of grant assistance for pasteurising equipment.