HC Deb 13 March 1952 vol 497 cc153-4W
56. Mr. G. Brown

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he is taking to encourage the formation of domestic poultry keepers' clubs; and what provision now exists to provide education and advice services to the clubs.

Sir T. Dugdale

The Domestic Poultry Keepers' Council is promoting the formation of an independent national organisation of domestic poultry keepers on the basis of county federations of domestic poultry clubs. Grant aid is given to the council by my Department towards the organising expenses of the federations. The provision of education and advice for domestic food producers is the responsibility of local education authorities, and is grant aided by my Department.

57. Mr. Beswick

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can give any figures of value or quantity of foodstuffs produced by the domestic poultry and rabbit keeper, and comparable figures for 1945 and 1948.

Sir T. Dugdale

The only reasonably firm estimates are those of a committee on the organisation of domestic food producers. On the basis of their estimates, about 75,000 tons of eggs and 1,500 tons of rabbit-meat were produced in England and Wales in 1950 by domestic poultry keepers and members of registered domestic rabbit clubs. No firm comparison can be made with 1945 and 1948.

58. Mr. Beswick

asked the Minister of Agriculture what advantages or inducements, apart from education and advice, are now offered to domestic poultry and rabbit keepers to affiliate to the county federations; and, in particular, what assistance is given, or will be given, in the shape of extra feedingstuff allocations.

Sir T. Dugdale

My Department does not offer any direct inducements to domestic poultry and rabbit keepers to affiliate to county federations. Self-help is the basic incentive for domestic food production.

Responsibility for the national organisation of domestic poultry and rabbit keeping lies with the Domestic Poultry Keepers' Council and the British Rabbit Council, both of which are grant aided by my Department. The Domestic Poultry Keepers' Council is promoting county federations of domestic poultry clubs. There are no county federations of domestic rabbit clubs, but many of the clubs are directly affiliated to the British Rabbit Council.

No extra feedingstuffs rations are provided for members of domestic poultry clubs. For members of rabbit clubs, rations are provided for breeding does.