§ 12. Mr. MACMASTERasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether there is in operation in connection with the various military camps throughout the country any scheme for saving scraps, wastage of food, swills, and other material and in using the same in connection with the camps in fattening pigs in order to increase the food necessary for the Army; and, if there is no such scheme in operation, whether he will, in conjunction with the Secretary of State for War, take steps to effect the objects indicated in this question?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Forster)A comprehensive scheme is in operation in all military camps for this purpose. The swill is either sold to pig feeders direct, or treated in mechanical plants which produce pig and poultry food in a concentrated form; the surplus fats are at the same time extracted and sold to soap boilers, from whom the Ministry of Munitions obtain the glycerine required for propellant explosives.
§ Mr. MACMASTERCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether his scheme might not be made operative in connection with the camp itself?
§ Mr. FORSTERI do not think I quite follow my hon. Friend. It is in operation in connection with the camp itself.
§ Mr. MACMASTERIf I understand the right hon. Gentleman correctly, the residuals are disposed of, otherwise sold, and my question is whether those materials could not be used in connection with the fattening of pigs in the camp itself?
§ Mr. FORSTERIf I understand the hon. Gentleman correctly, he means that the military authorities should go in for keeping pigs.
§ Mr. MACMASTERWhy not?
§ Mr. FORSTERIt is a question of who does it best — whether the pig keeper is a better judge than the military authorities. We are anxious that the swill products should be used in the best way possible, and I think they are by the scheme in operation.
§ Colonel Sir CHARLES SEELYMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman will communicate with the Food Controller as to how far the waste which has occurred with regard to this swill from the camps is due to the Food Controller's Regulations as to the feeding of pigs, which has prevented the keeping of pigs?
§ Mr. FORSTERI do not think there has been for a long time any waste in the utilisation of these swill products.
§ Mr. W. THORNEIs there co-operation between the right hon. Gentleman's Department and the Admiralty, and, if not, will he kindly communicate with the Admiralty as to the waste which is going on in the Navy?
§ Mr. FORSTERI do not know that my doing so would be welcomed by the Admiralty, but I have no doubt that the representatives of the Admiralty would pay great attention to my hon. Friend.