§ 27. Captain WRIGHTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the Feeding Stuffs Committee responsible for rationing dairy cattle, horses, pigs, and poultry is presided over by an electrical engineer; whether under the Regulations of that Committee the millions of dairy cow, pig, and poultry keepers have, in order to obtain rations for their stock, to apply to one of the thirteen Live Stock Commissioners for an application form, on its receipt to fill it up and return it to the same Live Stock Commissioner, who in time returns a priority certificate for a three months' supply only, which must then be sent to the dealer in the feeding stuffs required; whether the above system has been found satisfactory; and whether he will take steps to avoid delay by distributing a sufficient supply of the application forms to the post offices and county war agricultural executive committee, and by the appointment of the supervisors or district executive officers of the county war agricultural committees as assistant Live Stock Commissioners?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of FOOD (Mr. Clynes)The Director of Feeding Stuffs at the Ministry of Food is managing director to the County of London Electric Supply Company and various City companies, and was invited by Lord Rhondda to undertake a task in which his commercial experience and organising ability would be of the greatest service. He has, of course, on his staff competent agriculturists and 1259 men of experience in the various branches of the trade. As regards the second part of the question, a scheme for the rationing of all classes of livestock is now being completed. The scheme referred to by the hon. Member was a provisional or emergency scheme for giving priority to dairy cattle only. This has worked satisfactorily, and pending completion of the general scheme, has been extended to horses engaged in agricultural work, calves, and pigs. The suggestions made in the third part of the question will, however, receive consideration.