asked the Minister of Agriculture, in view of the recent announcement that there are now 2,000,000 less sheep in this country than at this time last year, how long he estimates it will take to build up the number to last year's level.

Owing to the many different factors that influence the rate of growth of the sheep population, it is not possible to make a reliable forecast of the time it will take to replace last winter's losses. I hope, however, that the measures taken to assist sheep farmers who suffered losses, and the recent substantial increase in prices for fat sheep, will encourage farmers to make determined attempts to rebuild the country's flocks as soon as possible.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the danger that farmers will dispose of their flocks, owing to the diversion to human consumption, of foodstuffs which would otherwise be fed to sheep, and that, unless he looks into this, there will be very few sheep left in the country?

The hon. Member must be aware that I have appealed to the farming community on more than one occasion not to sell potential breeding ewes for the purpose of obtaining a ready penny. I understand that during the last few weeks at the grading centres actually fewer sheep were offered for sale than in the similar weeks of 1946.

Is not the Minister aware that swedes, and other feeding-stuffs, are being diverted for human consumption?

Is the Minister aware that he cannot feed sheep on appeals?