§ 9. Mr. Dyeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the guaranteed price for fat cattle of Grade A, B or C quality for the months of October and November, 1956.
Mr. AmoryThe guaranteed standard price for all eligible cattle in October and November, as for any other month in the current fatstock year, is 151s. per live cwt. No differential is made for quality, which is left to the judgment of the free market.
§ Mr. DyeDoes not the right hon. Gentleman realise that this change, which has taken place in the last year, in the scale of guaranteed prices for fat cattle, whereby the producers get a higher price in the autumn than in the winter, will mean that far fewer cattle will be fattened for the winter and the New Year?
Mr. AmoryNo. While agreeing that there may be something in that suggestion for this current year, owing to a conjunction of circumstances—the guaranteed price going up at the same time as the market price went down—I do not think the hon. Gentleman's conclusion is sound. I would expect that the position might be quite different next spring, with the working of the rolling average.