§ 60. Mr. Higgsasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that approximately 1,000 carcases, cows, sheep, pigs, etc., were allowed to go bad and had to be destroyed by incinerator in Birmingham on or about Monday, 23rd June; that Irish beasts slaughtered in Liverpool were delivered to Birmingham butchers, green, a week later; and what steps does he intend to take to prevent further losses of this description?
Major Lloyd GeorgeAs regards the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to my Reply to the hon. Member for Deritend (Sir Smedley Crooke). In regard to the slaughter of Irish beasts at Liverpool, at the time complained of no Irish cattle were being sent over alive to this country. Meat was received from Eire some of which was not in good condition. Representations were made to the Eire Government with a view 179 to an improvement in the condition of the meat being effected. The situation has now substantially altered by the recent decision to re-admit the import of live cattle from Eire.
Major Lloyd GeorgePerhaps my hon. Friend will wait, because the next Question deals with that matter.
§ 61. Sir Smedley Crookeasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been drawn to the waste of human food in the City of Birmingham recently when a number of cattle, cows, lambs, pigs and calves had to be destroyed by incinerator, on 23rd June, owing to the neglect or otherwise of an official of the Ministry, in spite of the fact that there is ample refrigerator accommodation in Birmingham for this purpose; what steps he intends to take to prevent a recurrence of this waste; and what action he proposes to take to punish the officer responsible for it?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI have made inquiries and I find that 8,575 lbs. of meat were condemned at the Birmingham Central Meat Market and in retail shops on 23rd, 24th and 25th June as the result of a kill on Saturday, 21st June. It is the usual procedure to slaugher at the Birmingham Central Meat Market on a Saturday for distribution on a Monday. On 21st June about 300 lambs and a number of cattle and other stock were slaughtered for distribution on the following Monday. The meat was examined on the Sunday morning by a Ministry official and was found to be in good condition. Unfortunately a severe thunderstorm occurred on the Sunday night and on the Monday it was found that a number of the lamb carcases had been affected by the weather and portions were condemned as unfit for human consumption. The beef carcases were not affected. The whole of the offals had already been distributed fresh on the Saturday morning. The position was made specially difficult by the fact that the refrigerators at the market were full. The result of inquiries does not show that any official was to blame. The loss was due entirely to the weather.
§ Mr. HiggsIs the Minister aware that there are refrigerators in private ownership throughout Birmingham, a list of which is now in the hands of the authorities, for cases of this description? Why is it they were not used?
Major Lloyd GeorgeFor reasons which I am sure my hon. Friend will appreciate, I cannot go into that. There are many cold-storage firms which are not available.