§ Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the guaranteed price for first quality bacon pigs is currently met by subsidy; and what was the comparable figure for the year 1956–57.
§ Mr. GodberThere is no separate guaranteed price for first quality bacon pigs, but quality premium payments are made on bacon pigs of specified grades.
For 1956–57 the average weekly guarantee payment on the quality premium grade (ignoring adjustments for changes in feed prices and deductions for progeny testing) was 9s. 8d. per score deadweight, representing 19 per cent. of the standard price of 49s. 7d.
Owing to (1) the adjustment of the standard price to take account of the higher cost of feed, (2) the change in the guarantee system and (3) the introduction of two quality premium grades, the figures of guarantee payments for the first week of the guarantee year 1957–58 143W are not strictly comparable with last year's average. They are 15s. 5d. and 14s. 5d. for the two grades, representing respectively 30 per cent. and 28 per cent. of the standard price of 51s. 11d.