Agriculture Myxomatosis 34. Mr. Crouch asked the Minister of Agriculture which counties have been affected by myxomatosis; and the number of cases which have been reported to him. Mr. Nugent Myxomatosis in wild rabbits is now present in every county in Great Britain except Dumbarton, Roxburgh and Selkirk. The disease is so widespread that it is no longer possible to record individual cases. Mr. Crouch Is my hon. Friend aware that there is practically no trade at all today in wild rabbits? Can he assure the House that there is no danger to humans from eating rabbits that have been infected with myxomatosis? Mr. Nugent I am aware that the trade in wild rabbit carcasses has fallen away to nothing. The evidence with regard to myxomatosis affecting human beings or any other animals is that except for the infection of three hares, there has been no infection passing to any other kind of animal. 36. Captain Pilkington asked the Minister of Agriculture in how many cases there has been evidence of the deliberate spreading of myxomatosis; and what action he proposes to take. Mr. Nugent I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 21st October to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Dudley Williams) and the hon. Members for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Morley) and Test (Dr. King). Mr. Gower Can my hon. Friend say whether there is any foundation for reports that rabbits are already developing some resistance to this disease? Mr. Nugent No, we have no evidence of that yet. Dr. King Is the hon. Gentleman not aware that not only is there widespread national indignation but a sense of national shame at what has happened about myxomatosis? Will he not use the Bill that is passing through the House to make, at any rate, the further wilful spreading of this disease illegal? Mr. Nugent I think that matter could more appropriately be discussed on the Bill. White Fish Authority (Quick Freezing Experiment) 37. Mr. Dodds asked the Minister of Agriculture what progress has been made by the White Fish Authority in respect to the preparation, freezing, packing, storage, transport and handling of quick-frozen fish. Mr. Nugent The authority is well advanced with the preparatory work for its commercial experiment in the quick-freezing at sea of distant-water fish, which is being grant-aided by my Department. The authority has drawn up a code of practice on the preparation, packing, storage, transport and handling of quick-frozen fish and have appointed trained inspectors at the main ports who are studying the working of the code in co-operation with the quick-freezers. Mr. Dodds From the experience that has been obtained so far, is the Minister optimistic about the success of this experiment? Mr. Nugent These are very early days yet. This experimental ship has not yet gone to sea, and it would be premature to express an opinion for another 12 months or so. Output 38. Mr. Dodds asked the Minister of Agriculture what progress has been made in the programme for agricultural expansion. Mr. Nugent The net agricultural output for 1953–54 is estimated at about 55 per cent. above pre-war, compared with 43 per cent. in 1950–51 and 52 per cent. in 1952–53. Mr. Dodds Can the Minister understand the farmers being a little dissatisfied, or does he think that they are being a little unrealistic? Mr. Nugent I think there has been quite a satisfactory rate of progress. Pigs (Marketing) 41. Mr. Steward asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will make a statement on the recent representations he has received about the difficulties farmers are meeting in disposing of bacon pigs; and how far bacon imports from Denmark and the Republic of Ireland are aggravating these difficulties. Mr. Nugent Free markets with comprehensive guarantees for the producers as a whole, and for individual producers, have been restored for all fatstock, and the Government are convinced that this represents in present circumstances the best system for marketing pigs as well as other stock. The difficulty over the marketing of pigs has been due, not to imports of bacon, but to the fact that the number of pigs offered to bacon factories has far exceeded their curing capacity. This has been caused by the disparity between the price paid for pigs of bacon weight and the prices for pork pigs in the open market. My right hon. Friend has discussed the position with representatives of the producers, who have informed us that they are examining the problem of reducing this disparity in prices. Further intervention by the Government would be likely to disturb rather than improve the marketing arrangements. My right hon. Friend, in his capacity as Minister of Food, is now suggesting that his Joint Advisory Panel, which consists of representatives of all the interests concerned, should discuss the position at the next meeting of the panel. Mr. de Freitas Is it not true that while the Government were encouraging the greater production of pigs, they did nothing whatever to increase the capacity of the bacon-curing factories? Mr. Nugent This is not primarily a matter of the bacon-curing capacity of the factories. About half the production of pigs goes to the pork market and half to the bacon market. Commander Maitland Does my hon. Friend's answer apply equally to the import of live pigs from Ireland? Mr. Nugent The import of live pigs from Ireland is, as far as I know, negligible. There is a certain import of pork from Ireland and a certain import of bacon, but it is a very small proportion of the total. Tillage Area (Reduction) 42. Mr. G. Jeger asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the reduction in the area of tillage of 378,000 acres; and what action he proposes to take to arrest this decline and to increase food production. Mr. Nugent I am aware of the reduction in the tillage area this year to which the hon. Member refers. This is mainly due to a reduction in the area under feed crops. The net effect of this will depend on the use made of the increased area of grass. Half of this has gone into the more productive temporary grasses, and it would be premature to assume that there will necessarily be a fall in total food production. All these matters will be taken into account in the statutory review of the economic conditions of the industry, early in 1955. Mr. Jeger Does the hon. Gentleman accept that this is a tangible piece of evidence of the failing confidence in this Government on the part of the agricultural community? Mr. Nugent No, certainly not. Landrace Pigs (Atrophic Rhinitis) 44. Major Anstruther-Gray asked the Minister of Agriculture whether any recurrence of disease among Landrace pigs has now been reported. Mr. Nugent Since 1st July, one further outbreak of infectious atrophic rhinitis has been confirmed in Landrace pigs in Cheshire, bringing the total to date in Great Britain to four, one of which was in Fife. Major Anstruther-Gray May we take it that time enough has now elapsed for us to be reasonably confident that there will not be further outbreaks of this disease among Landrace pigs? Mr. Nugent It is early to give a conclusive reply, but progress is very encouraging. Egg And Poultry Marketing 47. Mr. P. Wells asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will now favourably consider an egg and poultry marketing scheme, in view of the detrimental effect prevailing uncertainty as to future policy is having on the industry. 48. Mr. Remnant asked the Minister of Agriculture what progress has been made towards a marketing scheme for eggs and poultry; and whether he will make a statement. 50. Mr. G. Williams asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will make a statement concerning the marketing of eggs. Mr. Nugent Discussions with the N.F.U.s on the future arrangements for egg marketing, including the question of a producers' marketing board, have been proceeding and the unions' comments on proposals put to them and certain counter-proposals by the unions were received at the beginning of this month. Ministers have now considered this communication and the discussions with the N.F.U.s will be resumed shortly. Mr. Wells Will the Minister take care during these discussions to see that the consumer interest is not overlooked? Mr. Nugent Certainly. We shall see that there is a proper balance between consumer and producer interests. Mr. Remnant Can my hon. Friend assure us that there is no withdrawal from the position of the Government being in favour of producer-marketing schemes? Mr. Nugent That is still the Government policy in appropriate cases. Sea Defences, Bradwell Quay (Repairs) 52. Mr. Driberg asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps are being taken to protect the lives of residents and agricultural and other property immediately to the west of Bradwell Quay, Essex, where no work has been done to strengthen the sea wall since the first-aid repairs after the flood of January-February, 1953; and why this part of the sea wall has been neglected. Mr. Nugent These defences protect a small area of land in which there was no loss of life in the exceptional flood of last year. The river board informs me that the defences in this area have been restored substantially to their pre-flood strength, first-aid repairs having been strengthend by backing the wall where breaches occurred. The board will consider the need for improving the defences in this area in due course: but it does not regard the matter as one of immediate urgency. Mr. Driberg Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the river board informed me a month or two ago that it could not do very much about this place because the residents there are not subject to drainage rates? Is that really the reason why they are not to be protected? Even if fortunately, no lives were lost last year, is it not the case that many of the people living there are below high-tide level, and is not the Minister particularly concerned about the agricultural land? Mr. Nugent No, the consideration of drainage rates, although something we should take note of, is not the main consideration. The broad policy is to restore the sea defences to the pre-1953 flood level except where there is a large population, industrial plant or exceptionally large areas of agricultural land. In this case there is no justification for raising the level of the defences immediately.