§ 23. Mr. JOHNSTONasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will make available to Members of the House in the Library a copy of the Slaughter of Cattle and Sheep Act, 1934, as approved by the Dail in the Irish Free State; what particulars he has available as to the working of the scheme under that Act whereby the 60,000 head of fat cattle said to be surplus to ordinary market requirements have been acquired by the State and supplied gratis or at greatly reduced prices per pound to persons in receipt of public assistance or unemployment relief; and whether, in view of the success of this experiment, he will consider arrangements for the similar disposal of food and fish surplus to ordinary requirements to the needy consumers of this country?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Elliot)I have arranged for copies of the Slaughter of Cattle and Sheep Act, 1934, and the Slaughter of Cattle and Sheep (Amendment) Act, 1935, to be made available to Members in the Library. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer the right hon. Member to the Debates on these measures in the Free State Dail on 2nd, 8th, 9th, 22nd and 23rd August, 1934, and on 18th and 31st July, 1935. Copies of the relevant OFFICIAL RIIPORTS are already filed in the Library, but I am sending copies to the right hon. Member for his perusal. In reply to the last part of the question, I would ask him to await the reply which is being given to his later question by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.
§ 45. Mr. JOHNSTONasked the Prime Minister whether he has been informed of the efficacy of recent experiments in this country and in Ireland in subsidising needy consumers so that they have been enabled to eat alleged surpluses of meat, milk, and potatoes off the market; and whether, in view of the savings in public health expenditure, the manifest benefits to agriculture, and the social and economic advantages to the nation of this method of distributing abundance, he will instruct the appropriate Ministers and Departments to prepare further schemes of similar purport?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am aware of the experiments referred to. The Government are already participating in the supply of cheap milk for school children under the Milk Act, 1934, and further provision for this service has recently been made, in the Milk (Extension of Temporary Provisions) Act. The question whether the Government should co-operate in further schemes for increasing milk consumption will be carefully considered as part of the general review of milk policy which will take place when the report of the Milk Reorganisation Commission is available. A scheme for the disposal of surplus potatoes at cheap rates to the unemployed was carried out by the Potato Marketing Board at Bishop Auckland last year. The Board do not, I understand, intend to conduct a further experiment this season, when the home crop is in short supply. In the case of milk and potatoes, these schemes have been operated by or through organisations of producers. The practicability of comparable action with regard to meat must largely depend on developments in the organisation of livestock and meat marketing.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the last sentence in my question, namely, whether he will instruct the appropriate Ministers to prepare further schemes of similar purport?
§ Sir WILLIAM DAVISONDoes not my right hon. Friend think that the suggestion underlying the question is a good one, and that some part of unemployment benefit should be paid in kind so far as meat is concerned, thereby securing employment and helping agriculture?
§ Mr. JOHNSTONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the suggestion made by the hon. Gentleman has nothing whatever to do with my question?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThese matters are always under consideration, and there is no need for me to give special instructions.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONBut in view of the recent reports by nutrition experts in this country, the urgency of the problem, and the admitted success of recent experiments, will not the right hon. Gentleman use his influence with the appropriate 864 Ministers to have further schemes prepared?
The PRIME, MINISTERWe are examining these reports with the utmost care as they come in, and we are always dealing with these questions, but I would remind the right hon. Gentleman that the peculiar circumstances in Ireland do not exist in this country regarding one portion of this question.