§ 49. Mr. Collindridgeasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food why in Barnsley district, where heavy industrial workers are a large part of the population, on the week ending 5th July practically all the meat supplied was foreign; whereas in Harrogate, where the population is not industrial, the meat supplied that week was English; and can he take steps to remedy this position in the future?
Major Lloyd GeorgeOwing to the overriding necessity for economy in transport, it is no longer possible to maintain the principle of qualitative distribution of meat. Livestock must now be consumed as near as possible to the collecting centre and imported meat as near as possible to the port of entry. Harrogate lies in a producing area and Barnsley in an industrial area. Barnsley received only about 10 per cent, of home-killed meat in its allocation for the week ended 5th July. In view of the need for economy in transport, I cannot give any undertaking to change the principle upon which allocation is made under existing conditions.
§ Mr. CollindridgeIs my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that the state of affairs described in the Question has gone on now for two weeks, and are we to understand that nothing is being done to allay the disquiet caused when residential towns receive preference in regard to English meat and industrial towns, where miners and heavy industrial workers live, receive such a small quantity of English meat?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI can assure my hon. Friend that in other parts of the country it works in exactly the opposite way. We have to consider the saving of transport, but I can give instances in other parts of the country where residential quarters get frozen meat and others get English meat.
§ Mr. CollindridgeIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that disquiet has been caused in industrial districts where the workers have been asked to increase their output?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI cannot understand why it should cause any disquiet, because the meat they have got is perfectly good.