§ 25. Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEasked the President of the Board of Trade what precautions are taken to prevent any foreign countries evading the restrictions on the import of meat, for instance by sending in best cuts packed in sacks, etc., and labelled offal, or in any other way; and whether he is satisfied that no such evasions are taking place 7
§ Mr. RUNCIMANAn assurance was obtained from the South American Meat Importers' Freight Committee (representing the great majority of the South American trade) that meat of descriptions not specifically limited by the "agreed programme" in the Ottawa Agreements would be strictly regulated. Imports of foreign frozen beef cuts in January amounted to under 1,000 tons out of a total of some 36,000 tons of foreign chilled and frozen beef imported in that month. I understand that the freight committee have arranged for imports of frozen beef cuts to be substantially reduced after the end of the present month.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEIs there anything to prevent people who are not parties to the agreement from sending this meat here in bags and describing it as offal?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI do not think that there is any abuse of the regulations 988 which are at present in force. That applies both to those who are in the agreement and to those who are outside.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEWill the right hon. Gentleman take steps to see that there is no breach of the regulations?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANA licence would not be issued in an improper case, and we have control of the licences.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSWere these agreements entered into between this Government and the importers, or between this Government and the Government of the exporting country?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIf the hon. Member will put that question down, I can give him an answer, but it does not arise out of the Question on the Paper.
§ Mr. CHARLES WILLIAMSIs the right hon. Gentleman certain that no evasions at all are taking place'?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo, Sir; I am never certain of that.
§ 42. Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is satisfied that the restrictions which he has imposed on the import of meat and bacon have been successful in raising wholesale prices sufficiently to give the home producer of these articles a reasonable profit?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Major Elliot)I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which I gave to a similar question by my right hon. Friend the Member for South Mol-ton (Mr. Lambert) on 7th February. Since that date all classes of livestock have shown further improvement; and the total rises since the imposition of restrictions have been as follows: First quality fat cattle from 37s. 3d. per cwt. to 42s. 3d. per cwt.; fat sheep from ld. per lb. to 11d. per lb.; and pork and bacon pigs from 10s. 5d. and 9s. per score to 13s. 8d. and 11s. 9d. per score respectively.
§ Lieut. -Colonel ACLAND -TROYTEWhile congratulating my right hon. Friend on the success of his policy, will he answer the last part of the question, whether there has been a sufficient rise to give a reasonable profit?
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSWill the right hem. Gentleman give us his version of what price will give a reasonable profit, and what is a reasonable profit?
§ Major ELLIOTI refer both hon. Members to the answer that I gave to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for South Molton, in which I said it is impossible to say whether any given price would afford a profit to home producers generally.