§ 30. Mr. Parkerasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food who disposes of the edible and other fats of animals killed in Government slaughterhouses; are they in the hands of a monopoly; what Government control is exercised over it; what are the ruling prices per pound for fats; and how do these compare with the pre-war figures?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (Mr. Boothby)All raw fats of animals killed in Government slaughter-houses are distributed by the Chairman of the local Fat Melters Advisory Committees to melters licensed by the Ministry. No monopoly exists outside the Ministry's control. The fats are the Ministry's property and are sold to the individual melters for manufacture into dripping and tallow, in accordance with Ministry instructions. Weekly returns of raw fats required and finished products manufactured are made to the Ministry. The price charged to melters for sweet fat used for making dripping is 2.4d. per lb.; the pre-war price averaged 1.5d. per lb. The price charged for inedible fat used for making tallow varies in different areas, but is of the order of .32d. per lb. There was no firm market price for inedible offals before the war. The maximum statutory price for dripping is 6d. per lb.; before the war the price varied from 5d. to 10d. per lb.