HC Deb 27 October 1947 vol 443 cc513-4
66. Mr. Dye

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he is taking to relieve the acute shortage of feedingstuffs in Norfolk due to the prolonged drought, in view of the fall in milk production and the need to fatten both cattle and sheep this winter.

Mr. T. Williams

Available supplies of rationed feedingstuffs are insufficient to compensate farmers adequately for the loss of home-grown feedingstuffs caused by drought, which has been widespread. Special additions to the cereal reserves for distribution at the discretion of the county agricultural executive committees have, however, been made in Norfolk and other eastern counties where supplies of homegrown feedingstuffs have been much reduced as a result of the poor sugar beet crops.

Mr. Dye

Does not my right hon. Friend remember that in the early part of this year, as a result of appeals from him, very large quantities of hay were exported from Eastern counties to Northern parts of England? Is it not a fact that there has been good hay production now in those areas, and could not supplies of hay be made available for the Eastern counties?

Mr. Williams

I entirely agree with the first part of the supplementary question of my hon. Friend, but I am afraid that with the supplies that were available, all we could do was to increase the discretionary allowance of various counties.

Mr. Dye

Could not my right hon. Friend allow farmers to use corn and barley this year from their own farms?

Mr. Williams

Nobody would have been more pleased than I to permit that, but it was not possible.