HL Deb 17 December 1985 vol 469 cc794-5WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

At what percentage of full capacity cheese factories, creameries and other milk processors in England and Wales are now operating.

Lord Belstead

My department does not require companies in the dairy sector to provide details of their current use of operating capacity. The information requested cannot therefore be supplied.

Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether any cheese factories, creameries and other milk processors have had to lay off workers or work a short week because of insufficient milk supplies resulting from milk quotas and leading to increased imports of milk products, and if so, what remedial action is being taken.

Lord Belstead

The availability of milk for particular manufacturing outlets is affected by a number of factors, and it is not possible to identify separately any effect quotas may have had on supplies to individual plants. The allocation of milk supplies is a matter for the Milk Marketing Boards in consultation with buyers of milk.