HC Deb 20 July 1908 vol 192 cc1495-6
MR. McARTHUR (Liverpool, Kirkdale)

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the Board of Agriculture, whether, in view of the diminished supplies of native and foreign animals for slaughter and the enhanced price of beef to the consumer, also of the difficulty in the replacing of cows for the supply of pure milk, he will consider the advisability of removing the embargo on Canadian cattle.

THE TREASURER OF THE HOUSEHOLD (Sir EDWARD STRACHEY,) Somersetshire, S.

The Board have no evidence of any decrease in the number of native cattle, and inasmuch as there has been an increase in the number of milking cows in recent years there does not appear to have been any difficulty in replacing them. There is no present intention of proposing legislation in the direction suggested.

MR. McARTHUR

Is the matter now under the special consideration of the Government?

SIR EDWARD STRACHEY

asked for notice of that.

MR. EVERETT (Suffolk, Woodbridge)

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the price of beef to the producer in England has been considerably lower this year?

SIR EDWARD STRACHEY

The price of beef has been falling lately.

LORD R. CECIL

Is not the fall in price due to the attention that has been drawn in this House to the operations of the American trust?

SIR EDWARD STRACHEY

The Daily Mail says so, but I have no reason to suppose that that has had anything to do with it.