§ 3. Mr. Ridleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the cost, per pig, of all the pig subsidies paid for grade and deadweight baconers and other pigs, respectively, in the subsidy year 1960–61.
The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. W. M. F. Vane)The average rate of guarantee payment is estimated to be about 6s. 7d. per score deadweight on baconers and about 4s. 11d. per score deadweight on other pigs. In addition, quality premiums averaging about 1s. 5d. per score have been paid on grade and deadweight baconers.
§ Mr. RidleyCan my hon. Friend say why one class of pig should be subsidised at a higher rate than another? Is he convinced that this is in the long-term interests of securing economic British bacon production?
Mr. VaneMy hon. Friend will know that there is essentially the same subsidy for all pigs, but in this country we have two separate markets—the pork market and the bacon market. It has happened recently that, since the returns of the pork market have been better, so the producers of the pork pigs have been making less of a call on the subsidy and support arrangements.