§ MR. P. O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)On behalf of the hon. Member for the St. Patrick's Division of Dublin, I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office (1) whether any modification in the tenders for the supply of foreign meat and forage to the troops and horses quartered in Ireland is intended; (2) whether he can state the amount of money paid for foreign meat and forage during the last period which has been accounted for; and (3) whether it is intended to lessen or increase the ratio of imported products?
MR. POWELL-WILLIAMSCertain modifications in the form of tender for meat and forage have been made at the suggestion of Irish producers, which may have the effect of rendering a supply of home-fed meat and forage more easy than heretofore. The contracts for Ireland, showing separately the prices for home-bred and foreign meat, have only operated from last December. From that time the payments for foreign meat under those contracts have been between £11,000 and £12,000, but the exact amount cannot yet be stated. The answer to the last paragraph of the hon. Member's Question depends largely on price. It is not intended to increase the proportion of fresh meat supplied, and the place of origin of such meat and of forage generally is always open to doubt.