§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYasked Her Majesty's Government:
To what minimum price per cwt. they are prepared to let beef prices fall, bearing in mind the Meat and Livestock Commission's recent costings which indicated prices of between £22.06 to £22.20 per cwt. as being in line with 1972 returns and the Minister of Agriculture's reply of April 11, 486WA 1974, in which he stated that "it is no part of the Government's intentions to let market prices fall to unrealistic levels".
§ LORD WELLS-PESTELLFat cattle market prices are being maintained at about the average level of returns that has operated fairly consistently in recent months. In these circumstances it can only damage confidence in the industry to speculate about the possibility and extent of a fall in prices.
House adjourned at twenty-six minutes before nine o'clock.