Mr James Hoy: Any such increase would be negligible.
Mr James Hoy: We would certainly look carefully at it. It would be covered by the early warning arrangements.
Mr James Hoy: While the total quantity and value of our cereal imports is reasonably stable, supplies from individual countries tend to vary widely from one year to another. It would not therefore be practicable to make an estimate relating to one country alone.
Mr James Hoy: We have come to certain arrangements, and there are also certain private arrangements. As I was saying earlier, when I do not think the hon. Gentleman was here, trade is something that moves two ways.
Mr James Hoy: I am not able to give detailed forecasts of meat imports from particular countries. In recent years Romania has sent us only small quantities of carcase meat. In 1968, for example, Romanian supplies represented less than one half of 1 per cent. of our total imports of all carcase meat and offal. The level of her supplies in future is not expected to increase to any significant extent.
Mr James Hoy: We are bound to keep a watch on all these things which take place when trade agreements are negotiated. I see no reason to fear that this will go on to any great extent. Obviously, in the course of deliveries one has to keep one's eye on things.
Mr James Hoy: Hon. Gentlemen opposite argue that consumption will always be a fixed figure, but it is increasing. This is why we think there is room for an increase in our own production and a limited amount of imports.
Mr James Hoy: Following a request from a local veterinary surgeon, my Department's Veterinary Investigation Laboratory at Truro undertook post mortems on several seal carcases washed ashore in Cornwall. Their diagnosis revealed a condition consistent with death from natural causes, notably starvation and septicaemia. There was no evidence of contamination with any toxic substances. The findings have been...
Mr James Hoy: My hon. Friend should not be misled by reports which appeared in last weekend's Press. Investigations have proved that that report and what we have found, which is absolutely certified, have nothing in common. It is true that a scientist of the National Environmental Research Council has invesigated the death of the seals in the past few days, but I have nothing to add to what I have already...
Mr James Hoy: It is rather remarkable. Many of our scientists think that it has been a particularly bad time from a weather point of view, and that this may have had something to do with it.
Mr James Hoy: I beg to move, That the Amendment of the Milk Marketing Scheme 1933, as amended, a draft of which was laid before this House on 29th October, be approved.
Mr James Hoy: The Milk Marketing Scheme for England and Wales came into operation in 1933. Since then, all producers of milk for sale have been required to register with the Milk Marketing Board. The board controls the sale of milk off farms and ensures that it is sold so as to secure the best obtainable return for producers. It buys all milk produced for sale by wholesale and grants licences to those...
Mr James Hoy: I am very grateful to the hon. Member for Rye (Mr. Bryant Godman Irvine) and the hon. Member for Torrington (Mr. Peter Mills) for the part that they have played this evening. I will not be too grateful to the hon. Member for Harborough (Mr. Farr), who was really looking for an excuse to oppose; but perhaps I ought to be grateful to him, after all, because he was trying so very desperately to...
Mr James Hoy: Oh, no.
Mr James Hoy: With all respect, I know equally well that 1d. on a gallon of milk means £9 million. We were being a little taunted tonight for only putting up the price of a "pinta", as I think the hon. Gentleman called it, by 1d. but, as I say, that represents £9 million to the consumer. On the other hand, to use emotive language about this increase, saying that it is a 100 per cent. increase after 14...
Mr James Hoy: I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising this subject, because it gives me this opportunity to talk about sheep production. It enables me to state once again the part which we have said sheep can play in the extended selective expansion programme and to remind hon. Members of the incentives we have given in this sector and of our view on the present situation. The Government's...
Mr James Hoy: I have not checked the figures completely, but it seems a little peculiar to me, as it must do to the hon. Gentleman, that cutting off these grants and reducing the price to the farmer, had that effect. Our action compares more than favourably with anything done by right hon. Gentlemen opposite, and he cannot deny that. But, I say this in no spirit of complacency. As I have already said, we...
Mr James Hoy: Perhaps the hon. Member will allow me to point out that it is not sufficient to say that growers are getting only 2d. a lb. for them. Perhaps he would like to give me some examples, so that I can look into them. I looked into the one given before.
Mr James Hoy: The hon. Gentleman said that all the cider firms were going out of business. No doubt he will give me some examples.
Mr James Hoy: I hope that the hon. Gentleman will give me some proof of what he is saying. If I am to go into the matter, I am sure that he will send me the evidence on which his statement is based.
