§ 18 and 19. Mr. Higgsasked the Minister of Town and Country Planning (1), the present position with regard to the re-enforcement of the ban on keeping poultry in gardens of a limited size;
(2) what instructions have been given to town and country planning authorities with regard to the desirability of allowing all possible latitude to poultry keepers to erect new poultry appliances on their own land.
§ Mr. DaltonThere is no ban on keeping poultry in gardens, though there is at present a limit on the size of poultry houses. I propose to remove this limit. There is no ban on movable poultry houses on farms. Fixed poultry houses need permission in certain cases, and I am considering, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries whether some further relaxation should not be granted here in the interests of food production.
§ Mr. John HayWhy is it only possible now to remove these restrictions? Why could not this have been done at least 12 months ago?
§ Mr. DaltonIf the hon. Gentleman will read the answer, he will see that substantially there is no ban in either of the two cases mentioned in these two Questions.