§ Mr. Home-Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the amount of milk produced in Scotland, the amount sold as liquid milk in Scotland, the amount processed to make cheese and other products, the amount exported, and the amount sold into intervention in each year since 1980.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythInformation on milk utilisation in Scotland is set out in the table below. (Figures are in million litres; years run from April to March.)
§ Mr. Home Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on recent trends in the production of cheese in Scotland and in demand for Scottish produced cheese.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythIn recent years the demand for Scottish cheese has been growing. Production of mature cheddar reached 28,346 tonnes in 1986, but is likely to fall back to around 21,000 tonnes this year. Production of other, higher value cheeses (such as feta and mozzarella) is continuing to grow. This year the availability of milk for cheddar manufacture has been limited by quota reductions, by an exceptionally high spring production peak involving lower production later in the year, and by growth in the output of higher value milk products. My noble Friend the Minister of State is currently pursuing with the cheddar makers ways in which greater supplies of milk might be secured for their markets.