HC Deb 11 November 1954 vol 532 cc1378-9
9. Mr. Crouch

asked the Minister of Agriculture the amount of home-produced beef, veal, mutton, pork and bacon for the years ended 30th September, 1948, and 30th September, 1954.

Mr. Amory

As the answer involves a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate them in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The figures for 1954 show in all cases very substantial increases over those for 1948.

Mr. Crouch

I shall look forward to seeing those figures, but is my right hon. Friend aware that it does prove the amount of progress which has been made in the last three years under the present Government?

Mr. Amory

I think that it is a great tribute to the energy with which, in recent years, all our farmers and farm-workers have got on with the job.

Mr. Bottomley

Will the Minister also agree that it has also been due to the policy that was pursued by my right hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Mr. T. Williams)? Further, will he assure the House that, with the abolition of bulk buying, the progress will continue?

Mr. Amory

The right hon. Gentleman knows that very much of what the previous Government did in the agricultural field was done with our strong support.

Following are the figures:

ESTIMATED PRODUCTION OF HOME-FED MEAT (EXCLUDING OFFALS) IN UNITED KINGDOM
'000 tons
June to May years Beef and veal Mutton and lamb Pork Bacon
1947–48 478 112 14 90
1953–54 (provisional) 637 175 280 248

NOTES:

(1) The figures include estimated from pieces of land under 1 acre.

(2) The available statistics do not allow the Tables to be carried forward to 30th September, 1954, but it is known that sales of sheep and lambs and of pigs between June and September have been higher this year than last year.

(3) The figures given for pigmeat are subject to revision. Pork includes manufacturing pork.

(4) The total of pigmeat production includes, in addition, 22,000 tons in 1947–48 and 59,000 tons in 1953–54 used neither for pork nor bacon (i.e. shrinkage and inedible parts of the carcase)

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