§ 30. Sir WILLIAM WAYLAND (for Sir ROBERT GOWER)asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that, notwithstanding the temporary arrangement with those foreign countries which export eggs to this country, to restrict imports from 15th March to 14th September, the low level of prices of home-produced eggs has not only continued but become more serious; whether, having regard to the circumstances that it is calculated that there will be an increase of from 15 per cent. to 20 per cent. in the price of feeding stuffs, and that there will be a considerable increase in the supply of eggs from Australia and South Africa, which though cold stored can under the existing law be put on the market as new laid eggs, he will reconsider the desirability of putting into operation some definite measure of restriction until the poultry industry has had sufficient time to consider and act upon the recommendations of Dr. Addison's Report; and whether he has any statement to make?
§ Mr. ELLIOTPrices of home-produced eggs have in fact advanced in recent weeks in accordance with the normal seasonal trend at this time of the year, being for National Mark standards 11s. per great hundred on 18th June as compared with 8s. 3d. per great hundred on 13th March, although the latest prices are somewhat lower than for the corresponding period of 1933. I do not know on what grounds my hon. Friend bases his assumption that there will be a rise of from 15 per cent. to 20 per cent. in the price of feeding stuffs, but the index number for May for feeding stuffs was 82, which was one point lower than the previous month, and three points below the figure for May, 1933. As regards the present arrangements for the regulation of imports of eggs in shell, I made a full statement in reply to the hon. Member for Mid-Bedford (Mr. Lennox-Boyd) on 26th June, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend.