§ 52. Mr. Purbrickasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food why meat is frequently distributed from the Chester Street, Hyde Park, depôt to the butchers in a hard frozen condition?
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (Major Lloyd George)It is impracticable, having regard to the desire for speedy movement in and out of the wholesale meat depôts to thaw out frozen meat there prior to distribution to the butchers. It is distributed in a hard frozen condition throughout all the London depôts and thawed out at the butchers' premises.
§ Mr. PurbrickIn view of the fact that retail butchers have no facilities for thawing out frozen meat properly, and consequently meat has reached the public in an inferior condition, could not the meat be thawed out before delivery to the retailers as was done before the distribution came under Government control?
Major Lloyd GeorgeWe are doing a great deal, as my hon. Friend knows. He is no doubt aware that a great proportion of imported meat was chilled, not frozen.