§ Mr. KELLAWAYasked the President of the Board of Agriculture the value of 714W the imports of poultry and eggs into this country for each of the past ten years, and the estimated value of the home production during the same years?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe particulars asked for in the first part of the question are shown in the following table:—
Year. Eggs. Poultry. Alive* Dead* Total. £ £ £ £ 1904 6,730,574 — — 1,089,145 1905 6,812,436 — — 905,791 1906 7,098,122 — — 869,114 1907 7,135,530 — — 903,847 1908 7,183,112 — — 934,679 1909 7,233,932 — — 920,697 1910 7,296,145 — — 821,292 1911 7,967,555 — — 918,197 1912 8,394,524 38,779 806,786 845,565 1913 9,590,602 37,923 954,540 992,463 * Not separately distinguished prior to 1912. I regret that I am unable to give a complete answer to the second part of the question. The total value of poultry and eggs produced on and sold off farms in the United Kingdom was estimated for the Census of Production in 1908 at about £9,250,000, but there is a large non-agricultural production not included in this figure, the value of which cannot be estimated.
§ Mr. KELLAWAYasked the President of the Board of Agriculture the approximate amount spent each year by the Board on the extension and improvement of the poultry industry?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe Grants made by the Board in aid of agricultural education provided by county councils and by colleges cover instruction in poultry keeping, but the cost of such instruction cannot be separated from other forms of education. Forty-one poultry instructors are employed in England and Wales, some of whom also give instruction in other subjects. The Grants-in-Aid of experiments and demonstrations in connection with poultry-keeping in 1913–14 amounted to £521; the sum sanctioned for 1914–15 is £716. In addition the Treasury have authorised Grants from the Development Fund payable through the Board in respect of laying competitions during 1913–14 amounting to £432.