§ 23. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Food how many pigs have been slaughtered at bacon factories in the past three months compared with the same period in 1947; and to what extent there has been an increase in the slaughterings of sows and gilts suitable for keeping as breeding stock.
§ Mr. StracheyIn August, September and October his year 217,400 pigs and 7,691 sows were slaughtered at bacon factories, compared with 114,300 pigs and 2,255 sows in 1947. I am afraid we have no separate figures for gilts.
§ Mr. HurdDoes not the Minister regard those figures as most alarming? The figure for breeding sows has gone up three times. What steps is he taking to ensure that farmers can keep breeding stock and expand home bacon production?
§ Mr. StracheyThe number of breeding sows has increased by 50 per cent. Naturally we should like it if none had to be slaughtered. But we must not exaggerate the seriousness of these figures.