HC Deb 26 July 1949 vol 467 cc2245-6
52 and 53. Mr. Hurd

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if the expert advice he obtained before allowing the purchase of hatching eggs from the United States of America for the poultry project in the Gambia was confirmed by the technical officers of the Ministry of Agriculture; and if arrangements have been made for the future to supply from the United Kingdom replacement stock of suitable strain;

(2) if he will specify the strain of poultry which the Treasury agreed should be purchased from Boston, United States of America, for the Colonial Development Corporation's poultry project in the Gambia.

59. Mr. R. S. Hudson

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of eggs and the breeds of fowls, respectively, ordered for Gambia from the United States of America for which his Department authorised the expenditure of 14,000 dollars.

Mr. Glenvil Hall

As these Questions deal with the same subject and as the reply is rather long, I will, with the hon. Members' permission, deal with them in a single answer and circulate that answer in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the answer:

The Colonial Development Corporation sought authority for the purchase of 10,000 hatching eggs of Rhode Island Red strain from the United States of America. Their request was made after exhaustive investigation of the possibility of finding what they needed within the sterling area. The requirements which had to be fulfilled were as follow:

  1. (1) 10,000 hatching eggs of a recognised standard breed must be available, all laid within 48 hours of shipment;
  2. (2) they must come from birds with Pullorum clean records and be of a strain which has proved satisfactory under tropical conditions of battery production;
  3. (3) the eggs must come from a reputable and long established breeder whose establishment
    1. (a) had the best possible disease-free record, having especially in mind Newcastle disease, and
    2. (b) was so situated that the eggs could be transported by heated lorry to a long-range aircraft.

Authority for this purchase from the U.S.A. was given after such further investigations as were considered necessary by the Government. I understand that the Colonial Development Corporation have no present intention of seeking authority for further purchases of hatching eggs from the dollar area.