§ 61. Sir W. Smithersasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food upon what authority or statistics is the statement by the Ministry of Food based which gives as a fact that, while 27 per cent. loss between live and dead weight is reasonable for bacon pigs, 22 per cent. is very exceptional for pigs killed at a slaughter-house?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (Mr. Mabane)The figures to which my hon. Friend refers, and which were included in a letter I recently sent to him, were given with the authority of my Noble Friend, and were based on information and statistics provided by my Department.
§ Sir W. SmithersWhy then did the hon. Member refuse to give authentic figures of live and dead weight for pigs sent to the bacon curers and those killed at the slaughter houses, and how does he justify the difference?
§ Mr. MabaneThat is quite a different question.