§ 93. Mr. Murrayasked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that the reduction of 258 million home-produced eggs for the year ended 31st May, 1952, will create hardship in the homes of the United Kingdom; what was the cause of this reduction; and what steps he is taking to restore this loss, in view of the important part of the British diet that home-produced eggs form at the present time.
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§ Mr. NugentThere are two main causes of this 3 per cent. decline in production. First a deliberate change in seasonal price emphasis with the object of encouraging the production of more eggs in the winter, so that at the expense of a slight decrease in the annual total, the housewife obtains a more regular supply through the year. Secondly, a reduction in profitability of egg production following the Annual Price Review of 1951 may have affected output adversely. Following the Review of 1952 profit margins have been improved, and I hope that production will recover.