HC Deb 22 June 1978 vol 952 cc691-4
5. Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the returns being achieved by producers in all sectors of the pig industry.

9. Mr. Peter Mills

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much the pig industry has declined, expressed in numbers of breeding sows, since the Government came to power.

Mr. John Sitkin

In April 1974 the United Kingdom breeding herd was 899,000 but was declining sharply and the Government introduced a temporary producer subsidy. Following a recovery in the herd in 1976 a further decline set in last year. The Government introduced a temporary subsidy and has secured improvements in the basis of calculation of pigmeat MCAs. In April the breeding herd was 830,000 and no longer declining.

Mr. McNair-Wilson

May I press the Minister to give an absolute assurance that in his view the pig breeding herd will not decline again this year? Is he aware of the hardship felt in the heavy hog sector of the industry?

Mr. Silkin

On the second part of that question, I am afraid that it is noticeable that even when there is an upsurge in the other part of the industry, the heavy pig sector seems never quite to benefit as much. This needs a good deal of looking into. I take the hon. Gentleman's point.

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Peter Mills.

Mr. Silkin

I am sorry, Mr. Speaker. I had not finished; I was just pausing for breath.

On the first part of the hon. Gentleman's question, of course I cannot give that unqualified assurance. I can only give an assurance that I will do my best to watch it and see that the herd is preserved.

Mr. Peter Mills

Whatever the Minister says, he must realise that the record of the Socialists in this area is bad. Before the end of July, he must make repeated efforts to get the situation right in Brussels, not only for the pig producers but also for the many thousands of people who work in the processing industry. He cannot be content with his record on this.

Mr. Silkin

I am tempted to ignore your instructions, Mr. Speaker, and speak for rather a long time, but I shall control myself. I took the precaution of looking at the record of two Labour Governments —one in Denmark and one in Germany. I found that the pig herds had increased considerably there—by an average of about 13 per cent. I then looked at two countries with Conservative Governments —France and Italy—and found that the pig herds there had declined. So this is not altogether a matter of political control. I sympathise with hon. Members who do not listen to what their hon. Friend says. He put the emphasis on Socialist Governments, not just this Government. [HoN. MEMBERS: "This one.") Then there is no need to use the word "Socialist".

If we are in the position that we are over the pig breeding herd, this is due partly to our old friend the pig cycle, but also to the fact that the pig cycle which existed in this country is now part of the European pig cycle—a kind of European bicycle, if you like. If the hon. Gentleman examines the matter he will find that the real villain here is the wrong calculation of MCAs, which the rest of the Common Market insist on our keeping.

Mr. Stoddart

Will my right hon. Friend take it from me that people working in the bacon curing and pigmeat manufacturing sector realise perfectly well that he is doing a good job on their behalf and that they expect nothing from the Conservative Party, because it is so besotted with the EEC? Will my right hon. Friend take into account the real worries of people in the curing and manufacturing industry? Many jobs have been lost, and unless we can get agreements on MCAs, more will be lost in future.

Mr. Silkin

That is precisely the point —my hon. Friend is absolutely right. I have dealt with the question of the producers. The processors are a different cup of tea. That is why we have been pressing for a change in the calculation of the pigmeat coefficients. That will help the processors much more. I have been shocked to find that the Commission, having promised me that this would be urgently studied, has not brought it forward. My hon. Friend raised this point during the last meeting of the Agriculture Council. I think that he received an assurance from the Commissioner that it would be brought forward very quickly.

Mr. Shepherd

With reference to what the right hon. Gentleman said just now, will he take a substantially more aggressive approach towards the reopening of this review of the monetary compensatory amounts? The uncertainty to which this will lead in the industry is far from acceptable. Will he say exactly what he proposes to do on this matter?

Mr. Silkin

That, of course, is precisely what I have done. I am in a slight quandary. I have sometimes had my knuckles rapped for taking an aggressive attitude. I have been told that all I have to do is smile happily at the Danes for them to give me everything I want. In fact, they give me everything they want. We intend to press this until we get a reasonable solution, but I must warn the hon. Gentleman that it will not be as good as either he or I would wish.