§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the average net profit on a suckling cow in England and in Wales in each of the past five years, and the estimate for 1979 where the cows were (a) in a less favoured area and (b) on a lowland farm, in both real and actual terms.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerI regret the information is not available in the form requested. Results supplied by the Meat and Livestock Commission from a number of recorded suckler herds show the following gross margins per cow* for England and Wales together. Figures are not complete for the year just ended.
together with the corresponding figures for 1978.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe estimated numbers of cows slaughtered based on returns from a sample of slaughterhouses throughout the United Kingdom are as follows:
Week ending 1979 ('000 head 1978 (corresponding week) 8 September 19.3 15.0 15 September 19.9 15.8 22 September 19.5 15.0 29 September 22.1 15.7 6 October 21.8 17.3 13 October 23.6 16.1 20 October 23.1 16.5 27 October 25.3 17.7