Milk: Prices

Anne Snelgrove
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Competition Commission on the share of the retail price of milk that is passed on to farmers by supermarkets.

Barry Gardiner
The Competition Commission announced in January that it intended to look further at the impact of supermarket buyer power on dairy farmers during the next stage of its inquiry into the groceries market. DEFRA has had no recent discussions with the CC on this matter. We have, however, provided it with information on the dairy sector and have made clear our willingness to meet, should they wish to do so.