Mr. Rostron Duckworthasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food why his Department discourages the raising of heavier-weight pigs, especially in view of the shortage of pig products; and whether he will encourage the use of more food so that the light-weight pigs which are being slaughtered now can be made heavier?
Major Lloyd-GeorgeThe Ministry of Food pays the highest prices for pigs of carcase weight betwen 110 and 180 lbs. Pigs of this class yield the most suitable bacon for distribution against the 4 oz. ration. It is not possible to adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion that the use of more concentrates for pig feeding should be encouraged, although we hope that pig keepers will make an increasing use of swill and other waste materials. I would remind my hon. Friend that under the Government's scheme for the rationing of animal feeding stuffs, which comes into operation on the 1st February, the rations for pigs will be limited to approximately one-third of the pre-war quantities.