§ Mr. J. Morrisonasked the Minister of Agriculture why no warning was given to accredited poultry breeders last winter instead of on 21st June that their ration would not be increased even though they had increased the number of stock on their holding; and what consideration will be given to those accredited breeders who, relying on a ration proportionate to the amount of birds on their farm on October next, have already had extra stock and incurred expense on housing, etc.
Mr. T. WilliamsIt has been the practice to announce the basis of the supplementary rations for accredited poultry breeders immediately before each rationing period. The timing of the announcement about next year's rations was determined by the decision to suspend recruitment to the accredited scheme, taken after I received the recommendation of the Poultry (Stock Improvement) Advisory Committee in April. This decision and the feedingstuffs situation made it necessary to impose a limit on the rations of existing accredited breeders and I am afraid I cannot make any special arrangements for those who may have entered into commitments on the assumption that this ration would go on increasing without limit.