Groceries Code Adjudicator

Marks and Spencer, indeed. Thank you, Minister, for that contribution. They all make a valued contribution but, as I said, it is about balance and fairness. I called the debate because of a letter I received about a month ago. If you will indulge me, Mr Gale, I shall read it. The letter states:"““I am writing to you in sheer desperation, it's 2 am, and I can't sleep. The fact is we are dairy farmers and we cannot pay our bills. We need to buy more feed and don't know how to finance it…The simple fact is we have been producing milk and selling it at the cost of production for about 3 years, and now we are below the cost of production, with large increases in the world's wheat prices putting feed up and fuel prices having a knock-on effect on everything else.""We have had the worst winter for the weather, putting stress on the animals and equipment and severe stress on our own health.""About 3 years ago milk to the consumer went up about 3p per litre and ours to the producer went down about 3p. Cream has had a lot of very high prices, it's never passed on. We are only getting 24p per litre and we are now talking of an increase for April of 1¼ p per litre””." That does not even take them to break-even level. The letter goes on:"““When we have challenged the dairy they say the supermarkets are to blame and the cheap price war to sell milk as a loss leader…Supermarkets are making billions and are more powerful than the Government…The decision for us is so bleak. We may have to sell up. When an increase comes it will be too late.""This last year 400 dairy producers have gone out of milk. We will just be another statistic.""Yours, waiting for a miracle.””"