§ 52. Mr. W. THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that on almost all cargoes of frozen beef there is an insurance claim allowed for damage during transit; whether in the cases in which the Government have taken over the whole of one particular mark or brand out of a boat the Government have had the benefit of any insurance claim allowed; whether in cases in which cargoes have been considerably damaged the fact has been notified to the Government and the amount of the insurance allowed ascertained before the purchases were effected; whether he is aware that it is the market custom to sell salvaged beef at less than the market rate; whether the Government have had to pay full contract value for such salvage beef as they have taken delivery of; and whether, in view of the fact that the firm of Perfect and Company are underwriters' representatives on beef insurance, and therefore directly interested in facilitating the acceptance of damaged beef by the Government, he will terminate this arrangement in the public interest?
Mr. RUNCIMANIn reply to the first part of the question, I have to inform my hon. Friend that when meat is bought c.i.f. the usual insurances are taken out by the sellers, but that when meat is bought f.o.b. it is not insured on behalf of His Majesty's Government. I understand that claims for damage were not as general as he suggests. With regard to the second part, in all cases in which meat bought c.i.f. has arrived damaged the damaged meat is rejected and returned to the sellers, by whom no claim is then made for its value, and in cases in which the meat was bought f.o.b. any damaged meat is sold on the market for what it will fetch. In view of that practice, the third part of the question does not arise. With regard to the fourth part, I am aware of the custom referred to. The fifth part of the question does not affect meat bought c.i.f., and with regard to meat bought f.o.b the cost is paid to the Australasian Governments, who bought the meat on behalf of His Majesty's Government and inspected it before it was put on board. 364 With regard to the last part of the question, I have to refer my hon. Friend to the Secretary of State for War, by whom Messrs. Perfect and Company are employed, but I am satisfied as to their independence in the work they perform.