HC Deb 21 July 1952 vol 504 cc23-4
37. Mr. Gooch

asked the Minister of Food if he will consider the establishment of a bacon factory in Norfolk.

Major Lloyd George

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Norfolk, Central (Brigadier Medlicott) on 25th February, 1952.

Mr. Gooch

Does the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not agree that it would meet the demands of producers and consumers alike if the pigs were slaughtered as near as possible to where they are produced? Does the Minister appreciate that Norfolk has a large and growing pig population which could keep a factory running at full capacity, and would he give this matter further consideration?

Major Lloyd George

I will certainly do that, but I would remind the hon. Gentleman that we neither build nor control bacon factories. I fully understand and appreciate the great importance of Norfolk as a pig producing area. Hitherto, it has been a great channel for the Midlands. There is now a proposition, supported by the National Farmers' Union, for a factory at Lincoln, at which we are looking, but a lot depends on the availability of capital.

Mr. Bullard

Will my right hon. and gallant Friend bear in mind that Norfolk farmers are anxious to increase their output of pigs and in the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease it was shown that the existing factory and slaughterhouse capacity, even of an emergency character, was quite unsuited to, and incapable of, dealing with all the pigs now being produced?

Major Lloyd George

I fully understand that, but my hon. Friend will appreciate that it is quite impossible to have factory facilities to meet all the epidemics throughout the country.

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