§ 45. Sir R. Boothbyasked the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government will take the necessary steps to transfer control over the import of livestock to Scotland from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Scottish Office.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI have been asked to reply.
This question must await the Report of the Royal Commission on Scottish Affairs.
§ Sir R. BoothbyMeanwhile, may I ask the Chancellor whether he realises that the Scottish people want to import Landrace pigs because they know they make the best bacon and that, for some reason best known to itself the Ministry of Agriculture refuses to allow them to import 1808 Landrace pigs? What conceivable justification can there be for the English preventing the Scots from importing into Scotland pigs that they want?
§ Mr. ButlerI have been carefully briefed by the Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland. He tells me that he gave an answer that he was not aware of any obstruction in regard to these pigs.
§ Sir R. BoothbyIt was a most unsatisfactory answer.