§ Sir R. Rankinasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any information as to how many persons engaged principally in egg and poultry production went bankrupt during each of the past five years?
§ Mr. RuncimanThe number of Receiving Orders in bankruptcy made in each of the past five years in respect of persons described as poultry farmers is as follows:
1932 … … … 12 1933 … … … 24 1934 … … … 22 1935 … … … 17 1936 … … … 14
§ Mr. Leslieasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the hardship created upon poultry farmers by the high cost of feeding stuffs due to import duties; and whether he will consider the advisability of reducing duties so as to bring some relief to a deserving section of the community struggling to eke out a living?
§ Mr. RuncimanThe recent increase in the cost of feeding stuffs is not attributable to the incidence of import duties but to a general rise in world prices. So far as the duties are concerned, I would remind the hon. Member, however, that it is open to consumers to make representations to the Import Duties Advisory Committee.
§ Mr. Hall-Caineasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that the Scientific Poultry Breeders' Association has prepared a scheme which has been approved by the National Poultry Council to deal with the reorganisation of the poultry industry in this country, he will now consider whether he is able to take steps under Section 1 of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1933, to regulate the importation of foreign eggs into this country; and, if not, whether he will inform the poultry industry in this country what further 1380W steps they should take in order to enable him to proceed in this way?
§ Mr. RuncimanI am not clear what scheme my hon. Friend has in mind. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and I know of no proposals for the reorganisation of the egg and poultry industry which would satisfy the requirements of Sub-section (1) (a) of Section 1 of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1933, and empower the Board of Trade to regulate imports. As regards the latter part of the question, I fear I can only refer my hon. Friend to the terms of the Section to which I have referred.
§ Mr. Hall-Caineasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any information as to the extent to which recent weather conditions have produced a glut of eggs upon the Continent; and whether he proposes to take any steps to prevent that glut adversely affecting the conditions of the poultry industry in this country?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonReports from a number of European countries indicate that during December and the early part of January egg production was abnormally high owing to the exceptionally mild weather, and this no doubt led to the increased imports into this country during that period. The change to colder weather in the second part of January and early February is reported to have caused production to decline. This decline has been reflected in reduced imports into this country. During the three weeks ended 6th February imports of eggs were 25 per cent, below the level of the corresponding period of last year.