§ Mr. Philips Priceasked the Minister of Food what is the present estimated date by which bacon factories in this country will be able to obtain a sufficent supply of pigs to enable them to work at full capacity; and what steps are being taken by his Department to advance that date.
§ Mr. StracheyThe Government's Agricultural Expansion Programme contemplates that by 1952 the pig population of Great Britain will be 92 per cent. of prewar numbers but I cannot say whether bacon factories will then get sufficient pigs to work to full capacity. They were not doing that even before the war as the total supplies of pig meat available were divided between bacon production and the fresh pork trade. As regards the second part of the Question, the rate of increase in the pig population depends very largely upon the supply of feeding-stuffs and within the limits prescribed by the shortage of dollars I am doing everything possible to increase that supply.