§ 72. Mr. Burkeasked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he proposes to take with a view to assisting the poultry and egg industry to recover from its present serious position, due to the increased price of feeding stuffs and the demoralised state of the market, consequent upon abnormal importations of foreign eggs in shell and liquid form?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonI have nothing to add to recent replies on this subject by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and myself.
§ Mr. BurkeIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware of the very great increase in the poultry population of this country and in the number of people who have gone into this business and who are suffering from fluctuating prices?
§ Mr. MorrisonI am aware of all the relevant circumstances of this problem and they have been brought to my attention very frequently, but I am glad to be able to tell the hon. Member that, as regards prices, there has been a movement in the proper direction, since the price is 16s. 6d. per long hundred now as against 13s. 6d. last year. I think the situation is improving.
§ Mr. BurkeIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is not so much a question of the prices going up now as of the constant fluctuation in prices?
§ Mr. Benjamin SmithWill the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether he is considering restricting the importation of flour into this country so that in milling our own flour the resulting offal will cheapen the price of poultry feeding-stuffs?