A GLARING example of how out of touch with ordinary daily life Whitehall mandarins and politicians in Whitehall are, has been their belated response to the ‘milk price crisis’, something we have known for months.

The Government’s latest idea to solve the problem following a meeting with farmers, who are quickly going bankrupt, is to set up a committee, no doubt comprising the usual useless ‘quangocrats’ to look into the problem. You can’t beat decisive, instant purposeful decision making.

I’m sure all farmers will now sleep wholly content while ‘Bluebell’ the cow produces milk daily, which ‘Farmer Giles’ knows he will have to sell at a loss, while somewhere a committee, meeting at their convenience, and at our expense, will give the matter their due attention; subsequently telling us nothing we don’t already know but too late for Bluebell.

Peter Rickaby, West Park, Selby

 

I FIND it extraordinary that the price of milk is in question, and yet customers are quite willing to purchase junk food along with alcoholic liquor.

Most parents during the war years relied on milk to wean their children, often using powdered or dried milk, with the veiled threat that failing to take your quota would result in a weak bone structure and many a visit to the dentist. Thank goodness I heeded that advice.

This supply of vitamins C and D was also encouraged with free milk at school as a government initiative along with a spoonful of malt, oil capsules and concentrated orange juice, with all its calcium and iodine qualities.

I may not be the Milky Bar Kid but I also like my chocolate, pay a fair price and don’t milk the dairy farmers. Health before profit.

Kenneth Bowker, Vesper Walk, Huntington, York