HC Deb 24 June 1942 vol 380 cc1972-3
53 and 54. Mr. Woods

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (1) the actual sums of money paid to each of the Wholesale Meat Supply Associations to date; the rate at which this commission is calculated; whether it is related to the pre-war trading of the wholesalers in these associations; and the number of men fully occupied in this work;

(2) the services, other than invoicing of meat supplies, which are undertaken by the Wholesale Meat Supply Associations in return for the commissions paid to them; and what sum is purely compensation to the wholesalers who have ceased to function in that capacity since the commencement of the war?

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (Mr. Mabane)

With the hon. Member's permission I will circulate a statement showing the sums paid to each of the Wholesale Meat Supply Associations for periods up to 27th March, 1942, that is, to the end of the Associations' last financial year, and also showing the numbers of men employed by each Association. I regret that on grounds of public policy it is not possible to give information as regards the rates at which payments are calculated. Such particulars would indicate the quantities of meat consumed, and, therefore, the population in the different areas. The rates are applied to the through-put handled by the respective Associations and the-rates are established on a varying basis, to allow for necessary differences in distribution expenses in different areas and for the amount of pre-war trading grouped in each area, so that the balance available for net distribution to members in different parts of the country is kept approximately the same as would have been the case had only one national organisation been set up. The Associations are responsible for the physical handling and distribution to retail butchers of all frozen and home-killed meat and offals issued to meet the rationed needs of, civilian consumers. They also distribute meat to meat manufacturers.

Cash paid to Wholesale Meat Supply Associations in respect of the period from commencement of Control to March, 1942.
Total Male Staff of W.M.S.A.s W.M.S.A. 13 weeks to 12.4.40 50 weeks to 28.3.41 Year to 27.3.42 (Provisional)
£ £ £
1,161 LONDON … … 372,948 1,381,677 986,267
590 SOUTH EASTERN … … 202,125 509,915 453,135
420 SOUTH WESTERN … … 117,887 294,462 276,185
566 MIDLAND … … 185,501 405,412 374,170
436 NORTH EASTERN … … 153,160 353,565 328,664
595 NORTH WESTERN … … 183,442 556,266 508,753
413 SOUTH SCOTLAND … … 87,957 303,016 231,248
219 NORTH SCOTLAND … … 33,540 75,925 73,670
4,400 £1,336,560 £3,880,238 £3,232,092
Total: £8,448,890