§ Mr. Boyceasked the Minister of Agriculture whether the Government's foodstuff policy in respect of poultry envisages a reduction of poultry flocks to one-third of the pre-war figure or to one-third of the existing figure?
Mr. HudsonI have advised poultry farmers who are dependent on purchased feeding-stuffs that it will probably be necessary for them to reduce their stocks to one-third of their present numbers by the middle of this autumn. Poultry keepers generally are also being urged to make increased use of waste material for feeding purposes. If this advice is followed I hope the poultry population of the country as a whole can be maintained at a level somewhat in excess of one-third of the pre-war total.