§ Sir W. Smilesasked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that Denmark and Holland are now exporting eggs and increasing their stocks of poultry, while 229W Great Britain and Northern Ireland are slaughtering their poultry; and if he can now hold out any hope that the rations for chick rearing will be increased in 1947.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsStocks of poultry in Holland have fallen from over 27 million prewar to three million as given in the Dutch Census last December. Denmark's fowl population is reported to be 40 per cent. below the prewar figure. Agricultural produce is Denmark's main export. There is no evidence that Denmark receives preferential treatment in imports of feedingstuffs, and, in fact, she depends at the moment almost entirely on indigenous production. I am not aware of any exports of eggs from Holland at present. Owing to the general world shortage of grains and the call on supplies for direct human consumption, there are no sources of feedingstuffs in sight that would enable chick rearing rations to be increased in 1947.