§ 57. Mr. Stokesasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether in view of the fact that the 2,500 horses in training for racing consume oats sufficient to keep 7,500 cows or 1,000,000 hens, and as cattle and poultry are being slaughtered for want of food, he will halve the racehorses' ration of oats?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI would refer to the reply given to my hon. Friend by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department on 3rd April.
§ Mr. StokesDoes the Parliamentary Secretary consider it reasonable to ask people to slaughter their livestock while racing is still allowed to continue?
Major Lloyd GeorgeAs the hon. Gentleman knows, there has been a great reduction of the number of horses in training. The decision as to whether training should continue is not a matter for me.
§ Mr. StokesCan the Parliamentary Secretary tell me the number of horses in training?
§ Mr. de RothschildIs it not a fact that frequent race meetings are held at the present time in Germany, Italy, Belgium, and France, and that one cannot feed hens on the same food as horses, because it would be just as unprofitable as to feed human beings on the same food as fly catchers?
§ Mr. StokesIf my figures for the number of hens are incorrect, does the Parliamentary Secretary's calculation show the figure to be higher or less than 1,000,000?