asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his pest officers have now been able to deal with the infestation of foxes in the Stanford battle-training area, which is driving the poultry farmers of that district out of business.

I am informed by the War Department that permission to enter the Stanford battle training area has just been given to the pest staff of the Norfolk War Agricultural Executive Committee, and energetic measures to reduce the foxes there will begin in a few days.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that foxes, apart from eating chickens, eat rats, and that the extermination of foxes very often leads to a pest of rats?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that we want the foxes to kill the rats, but do not want them to kill poultry?