§ 53. Mr. Lipsonasked the Secretary of State for War the total amount of beef, mutton, lamb and pig meat, provided last year for the Army and Air Force stationed in this country; and what proportion of each was imported?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaSome 32,200,000 lbs. of beef and mutton were purchased during the 12 months ended 31st March, 1938, for the Army and Royal Air Force at home. Of this quantity, it is known that 31,443,000 lbs. were imported from the Dominions, and 373,000 lbs. from South America. Very small quantities of other kinds of meat, of which details are not available, were provided for hospitals, but, apart from these purchases, no meat other than beef and mutton is provided for the troops. Bacon is purchased by units at home out of a cash allowance, and all bacon so purchased during the period in question was of Canadian origin. Information as to quantity is not available.
§ Mr. LipsonWill my right hon. Friend consider whether it would be possible to give encouragement to stock raisers and agriculturists generally by increasing those amounts?