§ 49. Mr. Crouchasked the Minister of Agriculture if he can now make a statement with regard to the discontinuance of allocating feedingstuffs for poultry on the 1939 basis.
§ 60. Brigadier Medlicottasked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the increasing dissatisfaction and injustice caused by the retention of the 1939 position as the basis for the allocation of poultry feedingstuffs; and if he is now prepared to revise the arrangements so as to bring them more into line with present day needs.
§ Mr. ChampionNo, Sir, I have nothing to add to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Dorset, North (Mr. Crouch), on 8th February last.
§ Mr. CrouchIs the hon. Gentleman aware that there have been great changes in occupation since 1939 and that a great number of the new occupiers of agricultural holdings are ex-Service men who are anxious to go in for egg production? if the hon. Gentleman would consult the Minister of Food he would find that his right hon. Friend would very much appreciate an increased supply of eggs.
§ Mr. ChampionWe recognise that, but the difficulty is to devise ways of avoiding hardship to many old-established producers. We have consulted the Ministry's advisory committee about this on many occasions.