§ 83. Sir T. Mooreasked the Minister of Food what is the position in regard to poultry feeding-stuffs in Ayrshire; and whether this position can be regularised so that poultry-farmers may know what is to be the future of their stocks?
§ 82. Mr. Wilfrid Robertsasked the Minister of Food what is the position with regard to poultry feeding-stuffs in Ayrshire; and whether he recommends poultry-farmers further to reduce their laying birds in order to enable poultry-keepers to rear young stock?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (Mr. Lennox-Boyd)I am not aware of any special circumstances affecting the supply of feeding-stuffs for poultry in Ayrshire, but I shall be glad to have investigations made if I can be supplied with further particulars. The proportion that should be maintained between the number of laying birds and the number of young stock for replacement on any particular poultry farm is a matter for the poultry-keeper himself to decide, having regard to the circumstances in each case. The increase from 33⅓ per cent. to 50 per cent. in the proportion of home-grown wheat that may be sold for feeding livestock should provide an increased supply of feeding-stuffs for young poultry.
§ Sir T. MooreIs not my hon. Friend aware that there is very considerable uncertainty, not only in Ayrshire but throughout the West of Scotland, on the question of poultry feeding-stuffs, and that breeders do not know whether to eat or feed their stock?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI think that the situation will be substantially eased in this and in other ways.