MEAT.

HC Deb 03 April 1940 vol 359 cc154-6

29. Mr. Ralph Etherton

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that since the introduction of meat rationing married couples without children and small families have been unable to purchase a joint; and, in view of the fact that this inequity is causing hardship and could be remedied by extending the validity of meat coupons to two weeks, whether he will grant such a concession?

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (Mr. Lennox-Boyd)

I am not aware that any hardship is being caused in the way suggested by my hon. Friend. Butchers before the war were in the habit of selling parts of joints and are continuing to do so under rationing. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 22nd February.

Mr. Etherton

If the organisation of my hon. Friend's Department is so inflexible as to be incapable of making this adjustment, could not a trial be made among the butchers in order to see whether they could adjust matters themselves with their customers?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

That is a quite unwarrantable assumption. It would be impossible to run any system of allocation if the validity of the coupons were extended beyond a week.

Sir H. Williams

Is it the case that the only person who can buy a joint is the person who joins the joint?

Miss Rathbone

Is the Minister aware of the hardship which is caused to married couples with children, who can hardly ever afford to buy their rations?

32. Sir Joseph Lamb

asked the Minister of Food whether he can now state the names of the members of the independent local tribunal which is to consider adjustments to be made in the number and location of slaughter-houses and meat distribution depots?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

My right hon. Friend hopes very shortly to be in a position to announce the names of the members of the independent local tribunals which he is setting up to consider cases where local interests are not satisfied that adequate slaughtering facilities have been provided. I should perhaps explain that meat distribution depots are not within the scope of the terms of reference of the tribunals, but that arrangements are, and would continue to be, made for the establishment of a distribution depot, either alongside or in close proximity to each slaughter-house.

Sir J. Lamb

Can the Minister say when these names will be published?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

It will be a matter of days.

Sir J. Lamb

Can my hon. Friend also say whether applications are to be made directly to these committees, or to the Ministry itself in the first place?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Directly to the tribunals, when they are set up.

Mr. R. J. Taylor

Are these bodies to be organised on a regional basis?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

They will nearly all be on a county basis, with one or two variations.

34. Mr. Salt

asked the Minister of Food in connection with the centralisation of slaughtering, what arrangements have been made to ensure adequate meat inspection at the various slaughter- houses; and whether he is now satisfied that the arrangements are sufficient to safeguard the interests of public health?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Inspection of meat in the interests of public health is the responsibility of local authorities and no change in that arrangement is contemplated. The managers at all slaughterhouses operated in connection with the scheme of control of meat and livestock have been instructed that the usual notifications of impending slaughtering arrangements must continue to be made to the officials of local authorities and that every facility must be afforded to those officials in their work of meat inspection. So far as I am aware the inspection of meat and livestock by the local authorities is being conducted efficiently, as in normal times, and is adequate to safeguard the interests of public health.

35. Mr. Salt

asked the Minister of Food what is the present composition of that section of his staff dealing with meat inspection; whether arrangements have now been made to strengthen and enlarge this staff so as to deal adequately with the new problems which have arisen through the centralisation of slaughtering; and what is their nature?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Arrangements for the formation under the Ministry of Food of an inspectorate to cover the working of the meat scheme as a whole from slaughterhouse to distribution depot are in hand. Part of the duties of the inspectorate will be to ensure that proper steps are taken to avoid deterioration in the condition of meat. As regards inspection of meat in the interests of public health the Ministry have secured the services of Mr. L. B. A. Grace, M.R.C.V.S., D.V.S.M., formerly chief veterinary officer of the Corporation of the City of London, to advise the Ministry on general questions arising out of the health inspection of meat and to co-operate with local authorities in such matters Arrangements are well advanced for a small number of officers to be added to this section of the Ministry's staff.