Milk (Hansard, 8 December 2003)

§ Mr. McLoughlin
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with supermarkets and co-operatives regarding the farm-gate price of liquid milk; and what the responses of those companies have been. [141459]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no formal meetings with supermarkets or co-operatives to discuss milk prices. However, Ministers frequently meet representatives from all parts of the dairy supply chain and are therefore aware of the issues. Matters affecting the whole dairy supply chain are regularly discussed at the forum chaired by my noble friend Lord Whitty.

§ Mr. Steen
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she last met representatives of the National Farmers Union to discuss the farm-gate price of milk; and what steps she is taking to safeguard the future of the British dairy farming industry. [140727]
227W

§ Mr. Bradshaw
[holding answer 3 December 2003]The Secretary of State has had no formal meetings with National Farmers Union to discuss farmgate milk prices. However, Ministers frequently meet with representatives from all parts of the dairy supply chain, including the National Farmers Union, and are therefore aware of the issues. Matters affecting the whole dairy sector are regularly discussed at the Dairy Supply Chain Forum chaired by my noble Friend Lord Whitty and on which the National Farmers Union is represented.
The reasons low farmgate price over the last few years are complex and cannot be reduced to a single factor. Many of these are for the industry to address itself. However, to help safeguard the future of the British dairy farming industry, the Government can and has taken action in line with its Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food to facilitate this. In particular: Lord Whitty has been chairing meetings of a Dairy Supply Chain Forum, which has been looking at collaborative solutions to improve supply chain efficiency, as well as other issues.

1997 1998 1999

Counties/Unitary Authorities Orchard
Area (Ha)
Hdgs with
Orchards
Orchard
Area (Ha)
Hdgs with
Orchards
Orchard
Area (Ha)
Hdgs with
Orchards

Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

South Teeside ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Darlington 0 0 ¹— ¹— 0 0

Durham CC 1 6 1 8 1 6

Northumberland 3 7 3 7 1 9

Tyneside 0 0 0 0 0 0

Sunderland 0 0 0 0 0 0

West Cumbria 4 10 10 10 3 9

East Cumbria 11 15 15 19 14 27

Halton and Warringlon ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Cheshire CC 25 26 27 31 29 41

Greater Manchester South ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Greater Manchester North ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Blackburn with Darwen 0 0 0 0 0 0

Blackpool 0 0 0 0 0 0

Lancashire CC 10 27 16 33 10 27

East Merseyside ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Liverpool 0 0 0 0 0 0

Sefton ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Wirral ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Kingston Upon Hull, City of 0 0 0 0 0 0

East Riding of Yorkshire 4 10 9 15 7 13

North and North East Lincolnshire 2 6 5 7 1 7

York 3 8 3 8 2 5

North Yorkshire CC 15 36 25 48 17 47

Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham 5 11 5 13 5 13

Sheffield 0 0 0 0 ¹— ¹—

Leeds 3 7 2 5 ¹— ¹—

Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield 3 8 3 8 2 8

Derby 0 0 0 0 0 0

East Derbyshire 9 5 ¹— ¹— 1 6

South and West Derbyshire 8 22 11 24 3 16

Nottingham 0 0 0 0 0 0

North Nottinghamshire 52 15 55 23 43 18

South Nottinghamshire 6 9 8 12 5 13

Lester 0 0 0 0 0 0

Leicestershire CC and Rutland 9 16 11 19 9 14

Northamptonshire 40 20 36 24 48 23

Lincolnshire 65 46 101 45 76 43

Herefordshire, County of 3,857 426 3,833 477 4,201 512

Worcestershire 1,588 275 1,619 303 1,609 283

Warwickshire 243 49 236 58 259 54

Telford and Wrekin ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Shropshire CC 62 50 103 67 105 76

Stoke-on-Trent 0 0 0 0 0 0

Staffordshire CC 15 22 22 23 10 20

228W
Under the auspices of the Forum, the Milk Development Council has initiated an innovations workshop to look at barriers to innovation in the sector and how to overcome them. The Government have made a grant of nearly £0.5 million to the Food Chain Centre to examine how to improve dairy supply chain efficiency; and We have established English Food and Farming Partnerships to encourage co-operation and collaboration across all agricultural sectors.

	1997	1998	1999
Counties/Unitary Authorities	Orchard Area (Ha)	Hdgs with Orchards	Orchard Area (Ha)	Hdgs with Orchards	Orchard Area (Ha)	Hdgs with Orchards
Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
South Teeside	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Darlington	0	0	¹—	¹—	0	0
Durham CC	1	6	1	8	1	6
Northumberland	3	7	3	7	1	9
Tyneside	0	0	0	0	0	0
Sunderland	0	0	0	0	0	0
West Cumbria	4	10	10	10	3	9
East Cumbria	11	15	15	19	14	27
Halton and Warringlon	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Cheshire CC	25	26	27	31	29	41
Greater Manchester South	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Greater Manchester North	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Blackburn with Darwen	0	0	0	0	0	0
Blackpool	0	0	0	0	0	0
Lancashire CC	10	27	16	33	10	27
East Merseyside	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Liverpool	0	0	0	0	0	0
Sefton	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Wirral	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Kingston Upon Hull, City of	0	0	0	0	0	0
East Riding of Yorkshire	4	10	9	15	7	13
North and North East Lincolnshire	2	6	5	7	1	7
York	3	8	3	8	2	5
North Yorkshire CC	15	36	25	48	17	47
Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham	5	11	5	13	5	13
Sheffield	0	0	0	0	¹—	¹—
Leeds	3	7	2	5	¹—	¹—
Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield	3	8	3	8	2	8
Derby	0	0	0	0	0	0
East Derbyshire	9	5	¹—	¹—	1	6
South and West Derbyshire	8	22	11	24	3	16
Nottingham	0	0	0	0	0	0
North Nottinghamshire	52	15	55	23	43	18
South Nottinghamshire	6	9	8	12	5	13
Lester	0	0	0	0	0	0
Leicestershire CC and Rutland	9	16	11	19	9	14
Northamptonshire	40	20	36	24	48	23
Lincolnshire	65	46	101	45	76	43
Herefordshire, County of	3,857	426	3,833	477	4,201	512
Worcestershire	1,588	275	1,619	303	1,609	283
Warwickshire	243	49	236	58	259	54
Telford and Wrekin	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Shropshire CC	62	50	103	67	105	76
Stoke-on-Trent	0	0	0	0	0	0
Staffordshire CC	15	22	22	23	10	20