§ 57 and 58. Mr. Spearmanasked the Minister of Agriculture (1) if he will amend the Ram Control Regulations, 1950, so that the blackface rams are not prohibited from being on designated land until 1st October;
(2) why, under the Ram Control Regulations, 1950, blackface rams are prohibited from being on designated land from 16th January until the end of March.
Mr. T. WilliamsI am prepared to consider any representations from sheep breeders for amending the periods prescribed by the Control of Rams Regulations, 1950, during which rams must not be allowed on designated land. The object of prohibiting persons from allowing rams to be on this class of land in certain counties in the North of England from 16th January until the end of March is to prevent lambs being born unduly late in the year.
§ Mr. Spearmanis the Minister aware that a good many farmers prefer a late lamb to no lamb at all? With regard to the earlier period, is he aware that blackface moorland ewes are not in a position to interest rams until 1st October? That being so, does the right hon. Gentleman not think that this restriction on the movements of rams, which seriously inconveniences farmers, is quite unnecessary?