§ 28. Mr. du Cannasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by what percentage the level of bacon imports calculated to the latest convenient date exceeds the level of imports for the comparable period of 1957; and from which countries imports have been made during 1958.
§ Mr. GodberBacon imports during January were 11 per cent. greater than in the corresponding period last year. They came from Denmark, Holland, the Irish Republic, Poland, South Africa and Sweden. A small quantity of 300 tons is also recorded as coming from other countries. The latest indications are that imports are at the moment decreasing.
§ Mr. du CannDoes not my hon. Friend agree that the proper order of priorities in the home market should be that the home producer should have first place, the Empire producer second, and the foreign producer third? Is he satisfied that the present arrangements about bacon are satisfactory for achieving that desirable aim?
§ Mr. GodberYes, I remind my hon. Friend that bacon is, of course, only one 911 part of the pig market and represents only about one third of it. If he takes into consideration the pork market and the guarantees to home producers, he will see that the criteria which he has set out have been observed.
§ Mr. BeswickDoes not the consumer come somewhere in that order of priorities? What attention is being given to his requirements?
§ Mr. GodberBacon is and has been available at very reasonable prices just lately.
§ 29. Mr. du Cannasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the National Farmers' Union and other interested bodies in regard to his letter of 21st February on bacon pigs; and what replies he has made.
§ Mr. GodberMy right hon. Friend has had letters from the British Bacon Curers' Federation and the National Farmers' Union commenting on his letter of 21st February and asking him to reconsider his decision. He has replied that he remains unconvinced that the bacon situation justifies a change in our present policy or in our present arrangements for the marketing of pigs. My hon. Friend will have noticed the improvement in the price of bacon pigs since last month.
§ Mr. du CannWill my hon. Friend confirm that the Minister will continue, as he undertook to do in that letter of 21st February, to keep this very difficult matter under constant review?
§ Mr. GodberYes, I will gladly give that undertaking. The present trend of prices is an indication of how rapidly things can change in the bacon market, where the present price for bacon pigs is very satisfactory.
§ Mr. WilleyDoes the Parliamentary Secretary realise that the replies to which he referred were regarded by those who received them as wholly unsatisfactory? In any case, is not this only one part of the problem? When will he promote discussions about orderly marketing for pigs generally?
§ Mr. GodberThat is opening up a much wider subject. As the hon. Member knows, the Bosanquet Commission looked into this very fully, and it is open to the Pig Industry Development Authority to give further study to it.