§ Mr. Pymasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish figures indicating the number of sows and boars in the national pig herd in each June since 1964 up to the latest available date.
266W
§ Mr. PeartThe following is the information:
IN-PlG SOWS, OTHER SOWS FOR BREEDING AND BOARS FOR SERVICE—UK '000 head June 1964 … … … … 950 1965 … … … … 994 1966 … … … … 865 1967 … … … … 866 1968 … … … … 931 1969 … … … … 960 1970 … … … … 998 1971 … … … … 1,030 1972 … … … … 1,005 1973 … … … … 1,063 Barren sows and boars not for service are excluded.
§ Mr. Pymasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish figures up to the latest available date indicating the number of sows and boars slaughtered since 28th February 1974; and if he will publish the comparative figures for the corresponding weeks in 1973.
§ Mr. PeartThe following is the information requested:
SOWS AND BOARS SLAUGHTERED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM '000 head Week ended 1974 Corresponding week 1973 March 2nd … 14.5 8.0 March 9th … 12.4 7.5 March 16th … 12.7 7.3 March 23rd … 12.2 7.1 March 30th … 11.0 7.4 April 6th … 10.7 7.1 April 13th … 7.7 7.6 April 20th … 6.5 7.1 April 27th … 10.7 5.7 May 4th … 11.4 8.2 May 11th … 111 8.1 May 18th … 10.2 7.6 May 25th … 9.9 7.6 June 1st … 8.4 5.7 June 8th … 9.8 7.1
§ Mr. Pymasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the numbers of sows and boars in the national pig herd in February 1973, in June 1973, in February 1974, and in June 1974; and if he will indicate the percentage rise or fall between the figures given for each date.
§ Mr. PeartThe numbers of sows for breeding and boars for service, in the United Kingdom, as recorded at June 1973, totalled 1,063 thousand head, which represented an increase of about 1½ per 267W cent. on the total of 1,046 thousand head recorded in March 1973.
No livestock inquiry was made in February 1973 or February 1974. The livestock inquiry in March 1974 was for England and Wales only and the results of the June 1974 census are not yet available.
§ Mr. Pymasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the information up to the latest available date showing the number of gilts in pig, and the total number of gilts in the breeding herd as given in the March agricultural returns for each March since March 1970; and if he will indicate the percentage rise or fall between each period stipulated.
§ Mr. PeartThe following is the information so far as it is available:
Gilts in pig United Kingdom '000 head Percentage increase (+) decrease (-) over previous March March 1970 … 138 — March 1971 … 128 - 7.6 March 1972 … 117 - 8.6 March 1973 … 147 +25.6 The total numbers of gilts not in pig were not recorded separately at these inquiries.
The March 1974 inquiry related only to England and Wales and the results included the following:
"000 head Percentage decrease compared to previous March Gilts in pig 94 2 Gilts of 110 lb. and over (liveweight) not yet in pig, but expected to be used for breeding 86 n.a.