§ MR. BOWERMAN (Deptford)To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the constantly-diminishing supply of foreign cattle for slaughter in Great Britain, and the difficulties experienced by those who, for reasons of religion or trade, depend, for the meat or by-products of the freshly killed animals they require, upon the slaughter in this country of a larger number than are now available; and whether he will cause independent inquiry to be made into a scheme for establishing a foreign animals wharf and abattoir in Alderney, which would remove the difficulties referred to.
(Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) My right hon. friend has asked me to reply to this Question. There is no statistical evidence of a constantly diminishing supply of foreign cattle. The average number landed in the last three years (1905–7) was 532,789, and in the previous three years (1902–4) 497,188. No representations have been made to us as to any difficulties in obtaining meat or by-products of freshly killed animals, and we see no necessity for the inquiry suggested by my hon. friend.