HC Deb 02 February 1968 vol 757 cc442-3W
Sir J. Rodgers

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what evidence he based his decision that new proposals were necessary for food labelling regulations.

Mr. Peart

When the question of the revision of the Labelling of Food Order, 1953 was referred to the Food Standards Committee in 1961, the Order had already been amended five times and many requests had been received for further amendments, both general and specific. The Committee invited comments and representations. A very large number were received, the vast majority proposing amendments to the Order. The Committee took evidence in the course of their deliberations. When their report was published in 1964, and again following the publication of proposals for new regulations in 1965, further written and oral

Thousands
England and Wales United Kingdom
Dec., 1966 Dec., 1967 Dec., 1966 Dec., 1967
(provisional)
Sheep one year old and over
Ewes kept for breeding 7,597 7,550 13,199 13,000
Shearling ewes (or gimmers) 1,407 1,366
Rams kept for service 238 235 367 363
Wethers and other clean sheep 318 308 866 882
Other sheep, including old ewes 213 243
Total 9,773 9,703 14,432 14,244
Sheep and lambs under one year old
Ewe lambs put to the ram in current year 488 490 578 581
Ewe lambs not put to the ram but retained for breeding 1,059 1,050 1,802 1,797
Other sheep and lambs under one year old 2,926 2,632 4,241 3,823
Total 4,473 4,172 6,620 6,202
Total sheep and lambs 14,246 13,874 21,053 20,446

Mr. Hooson

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the reduction in the number of flocks of sheep kept in England and Wales during the course of the last year.

Mr. John Mackie

The most recent figures are for June, 1967, when there were 83,000 agricultural holdings in England and Wales with sheep and lambs, of which 77,000 had breeding sheep. The corresponding figures for June, 1966 were 85,000 and 80,000 respectively.

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