§ Colonel Carverasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is taking any steps to increase pig-keeping by small pig-keepers; and whether the number of such keepers has increased since the beginning of the year.
Mr. HudsonThere are about 200,000 small pig-keepers obtaining an allowance of rationed feeding-stuffs at present. The shortage of animal feeding stuffs is still acute; and any considerable increase in pig-keeping by small pig-keepers could only be made at the expense of the commercial producer whose output provides the main supply of home produced bacon and pork, and whose stock I want to see built up as soon as opportunities allow after the severe reduction it has suffered as a result of the war. There has been a slight reduction in the number of small pig-keepers drawing rations since the beginning of the year.