§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present size of the national pig herd; and what was the equivalent figure for 12 months ago.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe most recent census returns available, for December 1978, show that there was then a total pig herd in the United Kingdom of 7,964 thousand head compared with 7,733 thousand head in December 1977. The breeding herd of sows and gilts in pig at those dates was 864 thousand head and 821 thousand head respectively.