§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the overall increase in European Economic Community hatchings, in the light of the consumption of Common Market broilers having fallen appreciably, with consequent redundancies; whether it is possible to estimate the size and extent of the present broiler surplus; what methods he has in mind to suggest to other European Economic Community countries of reducing this aggregation of unsold broilers; and how they could be made available to British housewives.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithConsumption and hatchings have shown an upward trend in recent years. The common policy in this sector provides for free trade within the European Community, together with a system of sluicegate prices and levies on imports from third countries and the payment of restitutions on exports from the Community. It does not provide for intervention and there is no structural surplus.