HC Deb 13 December 1948 vol 459 cc833-5
49. Mr. Turton

asked the Minister of Agriculture why a pig keeper who keeps two pigs at different periods of the year is allowed half a hundredweight of meal each month for each pig, whereas if he keeps two pigs at the same time he is only allowed half a hundredweight of meal each month for the two pigs; and whether he will amend the regulations so as to encourage pig keepers to keep two pigs at the same time.

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Thomas Williams)

The domestic pig ration of half a hundredweight of meal a month is primarily intended to supplement waste foodstuffs from household and garden so as to enable one pig at a time to be fattened for domestic consumption. Though some householders might manage to keep more, I can see no justification in existing circumstances for increasing the ration to facilitate the keeping of more than one pig at a time on a domestic scale.

Mr. Turton

Will the Minister reconsider his attitude, so that instead of having only one pig fattened at a time we can have two?

Mr. Williams

Yes, Sir, the moment we have more feedingstuffs available to us.

Mr. McCorquodale

Did not the Minister hear his right hon. Friend the Minister of Food say that he had so much maize that he did not know what to do with it?

Mr. Williams

I did not hear anything of the kind. I heard him say that the maize was coming in at a rapid rate from a certain area, but that maize has to be spread over many months in the future.

53. Sir Ralph Glyn

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the policy of his Department in regard to increased production of bacon pigs in this country.

Mr. T. Williams

The Agricultural Expansion Programme announced in August, 1947, envisaged approximately a threefold increase in our production of pigmeat by 1952, but there is no subdivision of the figure between bacon and pork. Prevailing prices favour production of pigs of bacon weight.

Sir R. Glyn

Does not the right hon. Gentleman admit that the shortage of feedingstuffs rather spoils the programme laid down by the Ministry of Agriculture? I put this Question originally to the Minister of Food, because I thought he was responsible for feeding pigs. If the Minister of Food cannot feed the pigs, it is impossible to carry out the policy of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Mr. Williams

As the hon. Member is aware, the expansion programme was based on certain assumptions, one of the assumptions being that home-produced feedingstuffs, plus imported feedingstuffs, will be sufficient to provide for the number of pigs we anticipate rearing.

Mr. Baldwin

Will the right hon. Gentleman consult with his colleague the Minister of Food, and get him to release the barley so that instead of the pigs being rationed the weevils are rationed?

54. Sir R. Glyn

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the serious position that has arisen in regard to feeding-staffs for home-produced pigs; and whether there is any prospect in the near future of increased supplies in order to stop the present trend of having gilts and sows sent for slaughter instead of using them for increasing the pig population in this country.

Mr. T. Williams

I cannot at present promise any increase in the rations for pigs which have already been announced for this winter, and which include the bonus issue to be made next month. The latter should give renewed encouragement to pig producers.

Sir R. Glyn

Did not the right hon. Gentleman hear his colleague the Minister of Food declare that 7,000 breeding sows had been slaughtered, and if the right hon. Gentleman's policy is to be carried out, is it not necessary to preserve breeding sows and gilts from slaughter?

Mr. Williams

Yes, Sir. We are very anxious to see that breeding sows are kept for breeding, so long as there are sufficient supplies of feedingstuffs for them. As my right hon. Friend said, breeding sows and gilts have increased by 100,000, or 50 per cent., and if there has been an increase in slaughtering during the past few months, it must be, therefore, because of super-optimism on the part of producers who have slightly overshot the target.