49. Mr. John P. SmithTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the levels of imports of foreign eggs.
§ Mr. CurryConfirmed data are only available to the end of September.
In the first nine months of this year imports of eggs were about 30 per cent. up on those in the comparable months of 1988. But, as imports from such a small proportion of total United Kingdom supply, it is likely that these will represent no more than around 3 per cent. of United Kingdom output in 1989. Over the same nine-month period exports in 1989 increased by about 100 per cent. over 1988 levels and, to the end of September, exports exceeded imports by over 200,000 cases (each of 360 eggs).