HC Deb 09 April 1923 vol 162 c855
Mr. LAMB (by Private Notice)

asked the Minister of Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to a report appearing in the "Times" of Saturday, 7h April, relating to the importation of Canadian cattle, in which it was stated that "the prices averaged £32 per head or fits. per cwt. live weight and that a large majority of the buyers were butchers who purchased the animals for immediate slaughter "; and if, in accordance with his reply to a question previously put by rue, that only cattle for feeding purposes would he licensed by his inspectors away from the port of entry, he will have inquiry made as to the accuracy of the "Times" report?

Sir R. SANDERS

I have seen the paragraph referred to, and as regards the Manchester consignment, the Ministry's inspector reports that only 40 animals were purchased by butchers, and on his instructions a licence was refused and they were slaughtered in the landing place. The remainder were purchased by graziers, chiefly from Norfolk and Leicester. At Glasgow 129 of the total consignment of 221 animals were licensed out, mostly to private premises for feeding, very few going to markets for sale as stores. The remaining 92 were classed as "fat" by the Ministry's inspectors and slaughtered in the landing place.