§ 66. Mr. LAMBERTasked the Food Controller if he is aware that there are a number of fat cattle in Devon that, owing to the orders of his Department, cannot be disposed of, thereby involving a loss in 28 the condition of the cattle, decreasing the meat supply, and causing considerable loss to the graziers of cattle?
§ Mr. McCURDYI am aware that embarrassment is being caused to graziers by the fact that all the cattle and sheep which they desire to send forward at the present time cannot be accepted for slaughter. The reason is that at this season of the year the supply of homegrown cattle ready for slaughter is always at its maximum, and the available supplies of home-killed meat, taken in conjunction with recent arrivals of imported meat, at the moment are, and will for a few weeks be, in-excess of requirements. I would point out that the guarantee to farmers is not that the Ministry of Food will take over all the beasts which they desire to sell, but that it will take over at fixed prices all the beasts which, can be passed into consumption. The object of this guarantee was to stimulate home-production and to stabilise prices, and in these respects it has been eminently successful. If farmers think that a reversion to free imports and normal methods of distribution would relieve their embarrassment, I can only say that the Food Controller and the President of the Board of Agriculture are willing to consider the proposition. I desire to repeat that if all restrictions and controls are removed at the end of this year, and the consumptive demands of this country reach their prewar standard, there must be a world shortage of meat next year, in view of prospective Continental and North American requirements.
§ Mr. LAMBERTDo I understand my hon. Friend to say that, if the farmers desire it the Food Controller will remove all restrictions connected with the price of agricultural products!
§ Mr. McCURDYWhat I said was that if the farmers desired it the Food Controller and the President of the Board of Agriculture are willing to consider the proposition of the removal of all restrictions upon agricutural prices at the end of the present year.
§ Mr. LAMBERTWhy is it the Food Controller does not synchronise the imports of foreign meat with the maximum production of home-grown meat?
§ Mr. McCURDYMy hon. Friend's question contains an implication of fact which is not warranted. He has no ground for 29 the suggestion that the Food Controller has failed to synchronise the arrival of foreign meat with the home market.
§ Mr. LAMBERTHas not my hon. Friend just told us that the imports of foreign meat are at their maximum, or very largely in excess of the normal, at the present moment?
§ Mr. McCURDYNo, Sir; what I said was that this was the period of the maximum supply for home-grown meat. In regard to the importation of foreign meat, my hon. Friend must not assume that the arrangements are made by the Food Controller.
§ Major HOWARDIs the statement true that the supply of home-grown meat in the market during the last few weeks is lower than any corresponding week for the last six or seven years?
§ Mr. McCURDYI see no reason, on the facts known to me, to challenge that statement. But I have no information on the point.