§ 2.41 p.m.
§ LORD BARNBYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government, having regard to bacon supplies (a) what proportion of current consumption is imported; (b) what proportion of the total import quota is allotted to Poland; (c) what percentage reduction is this current quota against 1959 838 and what percentage reductions have been similarly imposed on imports from Denmark, Holland and Eire.]
LORD ST. OSWALDMy Lords, about 62 per cent. of our bacon consumption is imported, and imports of bacon (other than canned bacon) from Poland in 1959 were 14 per cent. by weight of total imports. The current quota for imports of bacon from Poland, which is for the first six months of this year, is 20,000 tons and represents a reduction of 18 per cent. on the half-yearly rate last year. There are no such restrictions on imports of bacon from Denmark, the Netherlands or the Republic of Ireland.
§ LORD BARNBYMy Lords, arising from that reply, may I ask the noble Lord whether, since it is evident that there was different action against Poland as compared with other Continental suppliers, it is to be understood that the matter will be reviewed in the not distant future?
LORD ST. OSWALDMy Lords, it can be taken that the matter is already under review. As I have explained, this quota is for the first six months of the year, and therefore a new quota must be worked out for the second six months of this year, 1960.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHThe noble Lord said that the percentage of imported bacon was 62 of the total. Am I to assume that British producers are producing 38 per cent.?
LORD ST. OSWALDMy Lords, I believe that my mental arithmetic agrees with the noble Viscount's; but if not, I am sure that his would be right.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, then it seems to me a little strange that claims should have been made that at certain periods of this year the actual quota has been down to a little over 20 per cent. of the British. For what period is the percentage figure of 62 taken?
LORD ST. OSWALDMy Lords, I am unaware of the claims mentioned by the noble Viscount the Leader of the Opposition. The figures I have are those which I have given.