§ Mr. AlexanderTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ban the sale of untreated milk.
§ Mr. MacGregorMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have recently been reviewing our arrangements for the sale of untreated milk, which represents 2 to 3 per cent. of milk sales in England and Wales. Effective heat treatment is the only way to minimise the risks of transmitting milk-borne diseases to the consumer. My right hon. Friend and I propose therefore to consult the interested parties with a view to prohibiting the sale of untreated milk from the earliest possible date. We shall consult also on what arrangements should be applied to sales of untreated milk in the interim period.
A consultation document will be issued shortly inviting comments on this proposal and on the detailed arrangements for its implementation.