§ 44. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that a number of farmers in different parts of the country are killing their sows and litters of young pigs owing to the increased cost of feeding stuffs, caused by the new Order with regard to the milling of wheat; and will he say what steps the Government proposes to take in the matter, seeing that if the killing of sows and young pigs continues at the present rate there is not only certain to be a great scarcity of pork in the near future but small farmers will be deprived of what to them has been in the past a valuable source of income?
§ Sir R. WINFREYYes, Sir; the Board are aware of the tendency to slaughter young pigs and sows on account of the high prices of food stuffs. I am glad to say, however, that the somewhat hasty action reported to have been taken in this respect by some farmers is by no means general. I hope that any such tendency will be checked when the arrangements foreshadowed by my predecessor in reply to a question on the 29th November by the hon. Member for Dumfriesshire have been completed and are in full working.
§ Mr. G. LAMBERTCan the hon. Gentleman say whether the Board pro-poses to prohibit the slaughtering of these small pigs?
§ Sir R. WINFREYI think so.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWill the hon. Gentleman answer my question? Will he say what the Government propose to do in regard to the increased price of feeding stuff for pigs?
§ Sir R. WINFREYThe hon. Member must put his question down.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIt is down.