asked the Minister for Agriculture the present price being obtained for Irish bacon in Britain, the price obtained two years ago, and the reduction in loss per hundred weight that the change means to the Irish Exchequer.

The present prices are 253/- per cwt. for extra selected bacon and 248/- per cwt. for Grade A bacon. The prices two years ago, which was a year of particularly low prices for all bacon supplies in Britain were: Extra selected 250/- per cwt. and Grade A 230/- per cwt. The difference in the rates of subsidy are accordingly 3/- per cwt. for extra selected bacon and 18/- per cwt. for Grade A bacon.

Are we to take it from the Minister's reply that the prices payable for bacon on the British market to-day are exceptionally low? The Minister said "as compared with two years ago when prices were exceptionally low."

I said "The prices two years ago, which was a year of particularly low prices for all bacon supplies in Britain were"—two years ago they were exceptionally low.

Are they not the same now?

No, not just the same.

253/- as against 250/-.

253/- for Extra Selected and 248/- for Grade A. The prices two years ago, which was a year of particularly low prices for all bacon supplies in Britain were: Extra Selected 250/—that was——

Three shillings.

Yes, and Grade A was 230/-, which was substantially lower.

There is no substantial difference between the prices.

18/- per cwt.

There is no substantial difference between the prices of the Extra Selected?

No, 3/- a cwt., and 18/- for Grade A.

18/- is a difference but for the Extra Selected, the difference is not very great at all.

12.

asked the Minister for Agriculture the present price of Irish creamery butter in Britain, and that obtaining two years ago; and if he will state the improvement in the losses position, in terms of pence per gallon, that the improvement in price represents.

The present price of Irish creamery butter in Britain is 372s. 6d. per cwt, and in April, 1962, it was 285s per cwt. This represents a reduction in losses of about four-pence per gallon of the milk content of the butter involved.

Misleading conclusions can, of course, be drawn from the selection of any two particular points of time. In fact, the total cost to the Exchequer of supporting the price of milk went up from over £3 million in 1962-63 to over £6 million in 1963-64.

Was that not due in large measure to the selling out of existing stocks in that particular year?

I would not think so.