§ 61. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Food what financial commitments His Majesty's Government have entered into with Eire for developing the poultry industry there and providing technical advice.
§ Mr. StracheyHis Majesty's Government have entered into a commitment to pay a sum, estimated at £1,350,000, over a period of three years beginning on 1st February, 1948, provided a similar sum is spent by the Eire Government on a poultry development scheme. No commitments have been entered into for providing technical advice.
§ Mr. HurdWill the Minister give an undertaking that this scheme does not mean that any preference is being given to the Eire farmer, either in the matter of feeding-stuffs or guaranteed prices, over the producer in the United Kingdom?
§ Mr. StracheyYes, Sir, certainly.
§ Squadron-Leader FlemingWould it not have been far better to have spent some of this money in Lancashire, which is one of the greatest poultry breeding areas in this country?
§ Mr. StracheyThe development of poultry breeding in the United Kingdom is dependent on the amount of feeding-stuffs we can purchase, and this is entirely supplementary to that.
§ Mr. J. S. C. ReidIs it proposed that the new Food Corporation should be involved in this, or is it on the Food Ministry's own Vote?
§ Mr. StracheyThe Corporation is not involved.
§ Mr. Henderson StewartIs the Minister aware that poultry keepers regard the announcement of this scheme as giving the Irish producers a substantial subsidy as against Scottish producers; and, further, if that is not the case, will he please make a fuller statement, so that we can understand what the amount is?
§ Mr. StracheyThat is certainly not the case. The price to the Eire producer remains appreciably below that to the United Kingdom producer, and we think it of great importance to develop this additional supply of eggs for the United Kingdom.