§ 52. Squadron-Leader Donnerasked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that a food executive officer, in a letter to the proprietor of the Station Hotel, Basingstoke, states that he is not permitted to issue a licence to him to kill a pig unless a written undertaking is given that no part of it shall be used in connection with his catering establishment; under what authority the demand for such a written undertaking from the proprietor, as a condition precedent to the granting of such a licence, was made; and whether he will take the necessary steps to abolish this restriction.
§ Mr. StracheyLicences to slaughter a pig under the self-suppliers scheme are issued on my authority. For the past seven years it has been one of the requirements that a caterer must give an undertaking not to use any of the meat in any form for the purposes of his establishment. The restriction is made quite clear on the application form.
§ Squadron-Leader DonnerIf the proprietor of a catering establishment could feed his customers in this way, is it not grotesque to prevent it?
§ Mr. StracheyNo, Sir. I think the dividing line must be drawn between the self-suppliers who do not produce for sale and those who are producing for sale or commerce in any form.
§ Mr. WalkdenMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman not to consider giving way on this point, because if he does, Lyons Bros, would be able to supply themselves with pork from their farms and really they would have good fun out of it?
§ Mr. HurdIf the Minister could not allow it in that case, certainly he could allow country hotels to become self-supporting so far as bacon is concerned?
§ Mr. StracheyNo, Sir. An equal quantity of feeding stuffs would be subtracted from commercial producers.