§ 53. Captain Sir I an Fraserasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food upon what principles, with a view to the fairest distribution of the largest possible amount, are food and feeding-stuffs allowed to be given to animals and birds in the categories of animals that provide food for human consumption, working animals and animals for sport or domestic pets, respectively?
Major Lloyd GeorgeFeeding-stuffs are being allocated to livestock on the principle of the best distribution in the national interest. Livestock that provide food for human consumption are placed in the following order of importance, namely (1) dairy cattle; (2) fattening cattle and sheep; (3) pigs and poultry. Feeding-stuffs are allocated on this basis, the primary concern being to maintain the milk supply; account will be taken of the fact that cattle and sheep are fed largely on grass in the summer. Working animals are provided with the ration necessary for efficient work; this applies to working horses, pigeons in the National Pigeon Service and cage birds used for safety work. The quantity of feeding-stuffs for livestock kept for sport or recreation has either been drastically reduced or cut off altogether. In the case of racehorses, a sufficient quantity of feeding-stuffs is released for the number of racehorses in training, which is related to the restricted racing programme determined by the Government. Other pleasure horses will receive no rationed feeding-stuffs during the summer months and will have to be kept on a maintenance basis. Fox hounds, beagles and harriers are receiving, from 1st April, rations for one-sixth of the pre-war numbers. The manufacture of dog biscuits has been reduced to one-third of the pre-war quantity. No feeding-stuffs are being made available for cage birds or for pigeons outside the National Pigeon Service.
§ Sir I. AlberyIs the Minister aware that rationing schemes for feeding-stuffs do not include the proper distribution of feeding-stuffs?