asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what would be the estimated annual expenditure involved in providing vaccination against fowl pest for all poultry in England and Wales.

The number of poultry reared each year in England and Wales is estimated to be between 200 and 250 million and many birds would have to be vaccinated more than once irrespective of the kind of vaccine used. If dead vaccine were used about 300 million doses per year would be required. I am not at present in a position to give a firm estimate of the cost of producing and administering vaccine in these quantities in this country.