HC Deb 22 November 1951 vol 494 cc560-2
46. Mr. Robert Crouch

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will take steps to increase the amount of coarse grain for pigs and poultry without reducing the allocation to other forms of livestock.

51. Mr. Desmond Donnelly

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he has taken to ensure an adequate supply of animal feedingstuffs for West Wales and Cornwall during the coming winter.

54. Mr. Robert Crouch

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is satisfied that the supplies of coarse grain are sufficient for our livestock this winter.

The Minister of Agriculture (Major Sir Thomas Dugdale)

I have nothing to add at present to the statement my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Food made about supplies of animal feeding-stuffs in the Debate on the Address on 9th November. I expect to be able to make an announcement shortly about ration scales for the period January to April, 1952.

Mr. Crouch

May I ask my right hon. and gallant Friend if he is aware of the difficulties of our pig and poultry keepers to maintain stock at the present time, and that an increase can be brought about only by increasing the quantity of feeding-stuffs?

Sir T. Dugdale

I am very well aware of what the hon. Gentleman has said, and I should like to inform the House that the Ministry's Advisory Committee on the Rationing of Animal Feedingstuffs has been consulted, as is the usual practice, and their advice will be taken into account before a decision is reached and announced.

Mr. E. Fernyhough

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman have a word with the President of the Board of Trade in order to see that no difficulties are placed in the way of our continuing to get coarse grains from the Soviet Union?

Mr. George Brown

In view of the firm declaration which the right hon. and gallant Gentleman himself made in July in this House, that it would be safer to rely on Canadian supplies than on sterling area supplies, will he tell the House what steps he has taken to obtain these dollar supplies?

Sir T. Dugdale

I think that question should be directed to the Minister of Food.

Mr. Brown

The right hon. and gallant Gentleman himself made the statement. He is now responsible; and the farmers are expecting an answer.

Sir T. Dugdale

I am very well aware of that statement. I am also co-operating very closely with the Minister of Food, and the relationship is most cordial at the moment.

Mr. Donnelly

Would the right hon. and gallant Gentleman take into consideration in the allocation of these feedingstuffs the great difficulties which face these farmers, especially the small farmers in the West country, which is wetter than the Eastern counties?

Sir T. Dugdale

Yes, Sir. The rationing arrangements apply to West Wales and Cornwall in common with the remainder of Great Britain.

Mr. James Hudson

Could there not be a considerable diversion of feeding-stuffs for animals from the amount of barley to which reference was made yesterday in a reply to a Question from me?