§ 61. Dr. Haden Guestasked the Minister of Food if he will ensure the fair distribution of offals, poultry, fish and shellfish by introducing a points rationing system for their purchase.
§ Colonel LlewellinNo, Sir. I am afraid that it is not practicable to extend the points scheme to perishable commodities.
Dr. GuestDoes the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not know that a points scheme for offals has already been put into 245 operation by certain butchers on their own volition and would it not be possible for his Department to do so? Does he not realise the feeling of intense indignation in the minds of millions of women shoppers, who have to queue for food, when they realise the enormous amount of good things which are being consumed by people, who ought not to be having them?
§ Colonel LlewellinIt is not an easy thing to do. In the case of fish, the amounts are very variable. On the catches we get, we should lose quite a lot if they were put on the points scheme. The amount of poultry is not sufficient per head to put it on the points scheme.
Dr. GuestWill the right hon. and gallant Gentleman be good enough to undertake an investigation into these matters, if I put him into touch with members of the catering trade who provided me with the information on which my questions were based?
§ Colonel LlewellinI shall be very pleased if my hon. Friend likes to bring some members of the catering trade to see me. I will certainly go into it with them, but do not let anybody think I have not already gone very fully into the matter.