§ Miss Maynardasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish the information and statistics on which he based his estimate that retail egg prices would double if the battery-cage system were abolished; whether this estimate has replaced the estimate made by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service that the increase in costs entailed in a move from cages to deep litter straw yards lies between 0.8p and 7.8p a dozen depending on stocking density; and whether he will publish the information and statistics on which the latter estimate is based.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe results of the studies which the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service has made of production cost data relating to free range and more intensive systems of production are to be published. They indicate that the costs of production for free range eggs would be very substantially higher than for eggs produced under more intensive systems, including those mentioned by the hon. Member.