§ 34. Mr. Peter Millsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the increased production and the decline in the consumption of eggs in France, thus allowing large-scale imports of eggs to the United Kingdom, if he will make proposals and introduce safeguards to protect the interests of British egg producers, in particular those in the southwest of England, against unfair competition.
§ 40. Sir T. Kitsonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current 453W situation regarding the import of eggs from France.
§ Mr. BishopI am well aware that producers are concerned about the current level of prices in the egg market and I am ready to discuss with the industry ways of bringing supply into balance with demand. But it would be wrong to exaggerate the scale of imports. About 98 per cent. of the eggs sold in this country in January were home-produced. We estimate that the volume of imports was some 40 per cent. lower than in January 1974 whilst home sales through packing stations increased by some 6 per cent.
§ 41. Mr. Michael Marshallasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take the necessary steps to end illegal methods of importing French eggs.
§ Mr. BishopI have no evidence that eggs are being illegally imported from France. Were there evidence of malpractice I would take the appropriate action.