§ 72. Mr. RENWICKasked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that there is difficulty in securing supplies of frozen meat by wholesale dealers in Newcastle and district; and can it be arranged for such meat to be sent direct to the Tyne by sea instead of being unloaded and put in cold store in London and afterwards sent by rail to Newcastle and the neighbourhood?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI have been asked to reply. Frozen meat is usually supplied to Newcastle, not from London, but from steamers discharging at Liverpool, Manchester, or Hull, from which ports it is forwarded by rail. I am informed that the storage accommodation at Newcastle is not sufficient, nor is there sufficient draft of water to enable a large meat-ship to be dealt with. If the wholesale dealers at Newcastle will apply to the usual distributors they should find no difficulty in getting sufficient supplies of frozen meat.
§ Mr. RENWICKIs the hon. Gentleman aware that before the War these supplies came regularly to the Tyne, and why cannot they come now?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI have given my hon. Friend the only information which I have got on the subject. I will inquire further.