HC Deb 29 November 1951 vol 494 cc1714-7
57. Mr. Robert Crouch

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will make a statement on rations for livestock for the period commencing 1st January.

Sir T. Dugdale

The Government is very well aware that any programme of livestock production in the country must be based on an adequate and assured supply of feedingstuffs. There is at present a scarcity of coarse grains in world trade and of transport for them; moreover, sales of home-grown coarse grains for feeding purposes are greatly reduced as compared with last year. Nevertheless, the Government has found it possible to make arrangements for imports in order to maintain the pool of rationed feedingstuffs at the total of 5½ million tons for the 12 months up to the end of April next. It will, however, be necessary to make some reduction in the cereal element of the ration scales for the next rationing period from January to April, 1952.

A full statement of the present position giving details of and reasons for the changes which are being made in the ration scales from 1st January next will be published in the OFFICIAL REPORT. Prices to farmers of feedingstuffs are not affected by these adjustments, and will not be increased during this financial year.

Mr. Crouch

The answer of my right hon. and gallant Friend will be very much appreciated by the agricultural industry, where they have been greatly concerned in the last few months about whether feedingstuffs would be available after Christmas—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Member must make his remarks in the form of a Question.

Mr. T. Williams

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman make it transparently clear that these feedingstuffs have been arranged for by the previous Government?

Sir T. Dugdale

I think I can inform the right hon. Gentleman that the former Government may have made arrangements for these feedingstuffs, but we found a very unpleasant gap between what was obtained and the target which was set.

Mr. T. Williams

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell the House where the Government have been able to acquire more coarse grain since the late Government left office?

Sir T. Dugdale

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Food, who is very active in this matter, is making himself satisfied that he will be able to reach the 5.5 million tons target.

Hon. Members

That is no answer.

Air Commodore Harvey

Does not my right hon. and gallant Friend agree that the late Government took more interest in chickens than they did in the people?

Sir T. Dugdale

I cannot deal with that.

Mr. James Hudson

Did the right hon. and gallant Gentleman get some of that presumed extra grain from the brewers?

Following is the statement:

Largely because of the welcome increase in pig numbers, claims upon the pool will exceed the amount available if rations continue to be issued to the full extent according to the present scales. There are, in effect, more mouths to be fed out of the same total quantity of feed. It will therefore be necessary to make some reduction in the cereal element of the ration scales for the next rationing period from January to April, 1952. The reductions will be spread over all the principal classes of rationed stock. They will not affect the amount of protein in the rations—it has in fact been possible to increase the ratio of protein to cereal in pig and poultry food.

In the Government's view these adjustments in ration scales should not prevent the industry as a whole reaching and maintaining the level of production at which it has been aiming. But clearly expansion of livestock must keep in step with our capacity to feed them. This announcement should help to bring it home to everyone that it is of the greatest importance to increase the production not only of grass but of coarse grains. Farmers, therefore, should regard these inevitable reductions as a warning that the further increase in our livestock numbers which we all desire must be accompanied by a corresponding increase in home-produced feedingstuffs. The Government for their part, recognising the importance of the necessary raw materials, will do their utmost to maintain ration scales for the ensuing twelve months at the levels now announced for January-April next, subject to the usual seasonal variations.

Details of Ration changes

(The new ration scales have been settled after consultation with the Feedingstuffs Advisory Committee.)

  1. (a) Dairy Cows. The standard of cereal self-sufficiency for dairy farmers will be raised for the last two months of the winter period. As from 1st March, 1952, therefore, farmers will be expected to provide from their own resources for the maintenance of their cows, together with cereal for the first1⅛ gallons of milk per cow per day (instead of 1 gallon as at present) and protein for the first gallon.
  2. (b) Calves over six months old. The ration for calves aged 7 to 12 months introduced as a temporary measure in 1949 cannot be maintained at its present level of 1 cwt. per calf per month of which¼cwt. is protein. As from 1st January it will be reduced to½cwt. per calf consisting of¼cwt. protein and¼ cwt. cereal.
  3. (c) Discretionary Reserves. The quantities available for distribution through the County Discretionary Reserves will be reduced.
  4. (d) Pigs and Poultry—
    1. (i) The farrowing sow allowance will be reduced from 10 cwt. to 9 cwt. commencing 1st January, 1952.
    2. (ii) Bonus Rations. There will be a 25 per cent. reduction in bonus rations on pig-meat and eggs, compared with a year previously. For deliveries during the period 1717 September-December, bonus rations will be available in January-April as follows: Pigmeat, 3 cwt. for each 160 1b. (eight score) of pigmeat delivered to bacon factories and slaughter houses; Eggs, 1½ cwt. for each 80 dozen eggs delivered to packing stations.
    3. (iii) As from 1st January, 1952, coupons for pig and poultry rations will be issued in the ratio of 1 protein to 8 cereal instead of 1 protein to 9 cereal. The effect of this change will be that those drawing rations under the basic and extended scheme will receive more protein coupons at the expense of a reduction in cereal coupons.
  5. (e) Domestic Rations—
    1. (1) Domestic Pigs and Pig Clubs. From 1st January, 1952, rations will be reduced by 14 1b. per pig per month. The domestic pig ration allowed for one pig will be 56 1b. per month and the ration for not more than two pigs kept by members of registered pig clubs will be 70 1b. per pig per month.
    2. (2) Domestic Poultry. From the beginning of the new ration period on 1st March, 1952, the allowance of balancer meal in respect of each shell egg registration surrendered will be 4 1b. per month, instead of 5 1b. per month as at present.

The above changes apply to Great Britain and a separate announcement will be made by the Ministry of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.