§ 5. Mr. Buchanan-Smithasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what organisations he is consulting in relation to his review of the future level of egg supplies; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PeartThe farmers' unions and the British Egg Marketing Board have already been invited to let me have their views on the likely level of supplies on the United Kingdom market during the first half of 1968. I should also welcome views from any other interested organisations.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that many egg producers in Scotland and elsewhere in the United Kingdom are facing disaster as a result of the recent high level of egg imports? We appreciate the fact that the right hon. Gentleman is having discussions, but will he do something urgently to help the industry and make sure that imports are controlled in future?
§ Mr. PeartI hope that the hon. Member will not continue to indulge in such extravagant language. My predecessors never thought to control them in the way that the hon. Member is suggesting I should do. I am reviewing the matter.
§ Mr. KimballIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the only thing to do immediately in this situation is to bring in a minimum import price for imported eggs?
§ Mr PeartI do not think that is the answer. It never was held to be the answer by the régime which the hon. Member defended in earlier days.
§ Mr. GodberDoes not the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that the position is very much worse both because of the extension of home supplies and continuing imports which have depressed market levels to a serious extent? Is he not aware that many poultry producers are suffering great hardship? Is it not his duty to protect them?
§ Mr. PeartIf the right hon. Gentleman will look at the figures of imports he will see that they are pretty much the same. This year there has been an increase in home production. Hon. Members shouted "Woe" when I cut back the guarantee but production increased. I am looking at the matter and examining the whole question of supplies.
§ Sir Frank PearsonWill the right hon. Gentleman recognise that dumping is taking place and that his right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has very strange ideas of what constitutes material injury concerning the industry? Will he approach his right hon. Friend again with a view to taking measures to stop dumping?
§ Mr. PeartAs I have often repeated, we are examining carefully the whole question of supplies—and imports come into this. Naturally, this is a matter which we shall look at.
§ 21. Sir J. Gilmourasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the level of egg production in 1968.
§ 31. Mr. Bakerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what forecasts he has made of the level of United Kingdom egg production in September, 1967 to March, 1968; and what proportion of the home market he expects United Kingdom supplies to hold in that period.
§ Mr. HoyIt is not possible at this stage to give a forecast for 1968, but our present estimate is that United Kingdom production during the period September, 1967 to March, 1968 will be rather higher than in the same period of 1966–67 and that home production will account for about 98 per cent. of total supplies of shell eggs.
§ Sir J. GilmourIn view of that Reply and the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Holland with Boston (Mr. Body) earlier, is it not essential to take steps now to limit the import of eggs to ensure that home-produced eggs find a market at a reasonable price?
§ Mr. HoyMy right hon. Friend and I have said that the Government are reviewing the whole question of the future level of egg supplies, and I would not want to add anything to that.
§ Mr. BakerIs the Minister not aware that the small egg producer in the outlying parts of the country faces ruination, and that unless drastic action is taken now in readiness for peak-time production in the current and following year, the situation will be more than drastic; it will be calamitous?
§ Mr. HoyThere has been a fall in egg prices, which I hope has been appreciated by the consumer. I know the position, and that is why I said quite clearly that despite imports about 98 per cent. of our total supplies are met by home producers.
§ Mr. BodyIf the Minister cannot give an estimate, as asked for in the Question, how could he tell me earlier that the calculation I gave of three million fewer laying hens next year was wrong?
§ Mr. HoyI pointed out to the hon. Gentleman exactly what the present position was and what the forecast was. Those figures did not bear out anything like what he said in his supplementary question.
§ 40. Mr. Monroasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current price paid to producers for eggs.
§ Mr. PeartThe current average basic price paid to egg producers by the Board for first quality eggs is just over 2s. per dozen; an additional 4d. per dozen is paid for eggs which qualify for the differential under the Board's contracts scheme.
§ Mr. MonroDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that not one word that he has uttered today in answer to Questions on eggs will bring any confidence to the industry? What action is he going to take this week?
§ Mr. PeartI am rather surprised by that question. The hon. Gentleman's colleague on the Front Bench, the right hon. Member for Grantham (Mr. Godber), welcomed my previous Answer.
§ Mr. GodberIn response to that, I certainly welcomed the proposal to look into the matter, but does the right hon. Gentleman not realise that unless he contols imports he cannot provide our egg producers with the security that they want? [Interruption.]
§ Mr. PeartOne of my hon. Friends remarks that this is a new posture for the Tory Party. I am looking at the whole question of supplies and certainly the control of egg imports.