55. Mr. De la Béreasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, arising out of the necessity for a reduction in pigs and poultry owing to shortage of feeding-stuffs caused by the war, he will give an assurance that he will not further scale down prices again after a brief interval; and will he give every encouragement to people throughout the country to keep as many pigs and poultry as possible on waste foods?
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture (Mr. T. Williams)I have been asked to reply. Revised scales of prices for pigs and table poultry came into operation on 3rd and 17th March, respectively, and are designed to facilitate the necessary reductions in numbers of these classes of stock owing to shortage of feeding-stuffs. No changes, other than those indicated in the announcements to which I have referred, are contemplated for some time, but future price policy must necessarily be dictated by the needs of the situation. My right hon. Friend is already giving every encouragement to the feeding of waste products to pigs and poultry.
Mr. De la BéreIs the Minister aware that the practice of scaling-down prices, then putting them up in one month, and scaling them down again, is clumsy and unjust, and shows evident signs of unfinished thought?
§ Mr. WilliamsThe hon. Member will be aware that the scaling-up as regards light-weight pigs and boiling poultry, was welcomed on the last occasion.