§ 7. Mr. Willeyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the total number of sows and gilts for breeding at the latest available date and the corresponding figure twelve months earlier.
§ Mr. GodberAccording to the December, 1958, Census Returns for England and Wales, there were 610,000 sows and gilts on agricultural holdings. The corresponding figure for December, 1957, was 673,000.
§ Mr. WilleyDoes not this indicate that the Government's policy is knocking the confidence out of the pig industry? Are we to assume that Government policy is now to lower the sights for the industry?
§ Mr. GodberI am sure that the hon. Gentleman read at the time the Annual Review last year, when we stated quite clearly what our view was in relation to pigs. We said:
Production is expanding rapidly … market prices are lower. … The trend of output must be reversed".We said that in the last Review, and these figures show that what we anticipated and hoped for has been brought about, and we hope it will result in better stability in the pig market.
§ Mr. WilleyBut to what level do the Government intend to reduce the pig industry?
§ Mr. GodberThe Government are not seeking to bring about any strict level. It is a matter of attaining an economic balance, which is what we seek to do in all these matters.