Retailers Questioned On Milk Price

MSPs are due to question representatives from some of Britain's largest supermarkets about the falling price of milk.

Holyrood's Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee launched an urgent inquiry into supply, demand and pricing in the dairy industry after some farmers complained the price they are paid is now less than their production costs.

A two-litre carton of milk is now £1 in many supermarkets and dairy co-operative First Milk last month announced it was to delay paying milk producers by two weeks due to financial difficulties.

MSPs will today hear evidence from Asda's sustainable business director Chris Brown and Morrisons' Scottish affairs adviser Ewan MacDonald-Russell and agriculture manager Andrew Loftus.

The committee had threatened to ''empty chair'' Tesco, Sainsbury's, Marks and Spencer and Lidl if the supermarkets refused to come to the Scottish Parliament to answer questions about the fall in the price of milk.

Convener Rob Gibson wrote to the four chief executives advising that the committee could also force senior figures from the companies to attend.

All have now agreed to give evidence to MSPs tomorrow, alongside representatives of Aldi, Waitrose and the Co-Operative Food.

The committee will also hear from Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead, who has called for action at a European level to address the problems facing the dairy industry.