§ Mr. Henry Clarkasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that, as a result of devaluation, millers in Northern Ireland are being forced to increase the price of compound animal rations by£3-£4 per ton, and that this increases the cost of breeding and fattening a bacon pig by£1 to£1 10s., which exceeds the normal profit realised by farmers on each bacon pig delivered for slaughter; and if he will take steps to make the feed element in the price formula flexible enough to compensate for this increase in costs.
§ Mr. PeartIt is not certain as yet when or by how much prices of compound feedingstuffs will have to rise as a result of devaluation. However, an automatic adjustment is made in the weekly standard price for pigs certified under the Fatstock Guarantee Scheme to compensate for changes in feed costs. This for-36W mula takes account of prices of compound feeding stuffs over the preceding three months, during which time the growing pig has consumed the major part of its feed.