§ 39. Mr. Henderson Stewartasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has formed an estimate of the amount of animal feeding-stuffs imported from overseas and produced at home before the Great War and in 1937, respectively?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonIt is estimated that imports of feeding-stuffs into the United Kingdom increased by approximately 30 per cent. between 1913 and 1937. I regret that no similar comparison can be made between home production of feeding-stuffs before the War and at the present time, owing to the impossibility of measuring the amount of sustenance derived by livestock from pasture land, without which any such comparison would be valueless.
Mr. StewartDoes not that suggest that this country is more dependent on foreign supply than ever before?
§ Mr. MorrisonNo, I do not think so. If the hon. Member will compare the population at the relative dates he will see that the home production of feeding-stuffs for animals must have advanced proportionately.
Mr. StewartIs it not true that the population has also advanced, and that we are, therefore, more dependent for feeding-stuffs than ever before on foreign countries?
§ Mr. MorrisonI do not think that that generalisation is quite accurate.