§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average market price of fat sheep sold in each of the last three years and the first six months of 1974.
§ Mr. BishopAverage market prices of fat sheep for the years in question on an estimated dressed carcase weight basis were as follows: 1971, 17.9p per lb.; 1972, 23.7p per lb.; 1973, 32.0p per lb. The estimated price for the first six months of 1974 is 36.6 per lb.
§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the size of the national sheep flock on 1st January 1971 and each subsequent year, and on 1st July 1974.
§ Mr. BishopSince livestock inquiries are not made in January I am giving the numbers recorded at the preceding December livestock inquiries. The total United Kingdom sheep flocks, including breeding sheep, recorded at December 1970, December 1971, December 1972 and December 1973 were 18,499,000 head, 18,749,000 head, 19,557,000 head and 19,989,000 head respectively. The number recorded at the June 1974 census is provisionally estimated at 28,734,000.
§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what have been the slaughtering figures for sheep for the last three years and the first six months of 1974.
570W
§ Mr. BishopSlaughterings of all sheep as recorded in the years 1971, 1972 and 1973 were 11,293,000, 11,041,000 and 11,352,000 head respectively. In the first six months of 1974 the total slaughtered was 4,907,000.