§ MR. LOUGH (Islington, W.)To ask the hon. Member for North Hunts, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he can state the average weekly number of cattle weighed on the cattle weighbridge in the Glasgow public market between 1st January and 30th June of the current year, and the receipts of the Glasgow Corporation from this source as compared with their expenditure in erecting the weighbridge; and whether, in the interests of agriculture, he can take steps to secure the general provision of weighbridges for live cattle at markets.
(Answered by Mr. Ailwyn Fellowes.) We are informed by the town clerk that the average number of cattle passing each week over the corporation weighbridge in the Glasgow cattle market is 225, for which service fees averaging about 19s. 6d. weekly are received. The cost of the weighbridge was £176. All market authorities are bound already under the Markets and Fairs (Weighing of Cattle) Acts to provide accommodation for weighing live stock, unless they are expressly exempted by the Board of Agriculture from doing so on the ground that the number of animals sold is so small as to render the provision of weighing accommodation inexpedient.