§ Mr. YEOasked the President of the Board of Trade if the Government is supplying meat to London County Council asylums at the following prices, viz., for beef (forequarters) 9⅝d. per lb., beef (hind-quarters) 11⅛d. per lb., suet (beef) 1s. per lb., for mutton (carcases) 9⅜d. per lb., and lamb l0½d. per lb.; and whether he will arrange to supply any municipality desiring same with meat at these prices for transference to retail butchers at cost on condition that the latter give satisfactory guarantees of resale to the public at fair agreed prices?
Mr. ROBERTSThe quantity of frozen meat (mainly Australasian mutton and lamb) belonging to the Board of Trade which is available for civilian consumption after the needs of the Allied Armies have been met is limited, and although the Board are able to supply moderate quantities to a few public institutions at 737 about the prices mentioned in the question they are not in a position to supply to municipalities generally. The Board of Trade control the prices of the meat disposed of them up to the point of the sale to retailers, and the Ministry of Food are dealing with the question of retail prices.