§ 23. Mr. Turtonasked the Minister of Food whether, when the nearest slaughter house is more than two miles away, he will permit members of a village pig club who are feeding a pig for home consumption for the first time to kill it on their own premises.
§ Dr. SummerskillNo, Sir. Members of pig clubs cannot slaughter on their premises if they have not done so previously. Nevertheless, any club may have their premises authorised as a slaughter-point for the pigs of its members.
§ Mr. TurtonDoes the hon. Lady realise that this is one of the regulations that is preventing more bacon being produced in this country, and will she reconsider the matter?
§ Dr. SummerskillThe hon. Gentleman is misinformed. This new regulation has been made in order to limit abuses on the part of self-suppliers.
§ Mr. TurtonIs the hon. Lady suggesting that pig club members have been guilty of black market practices?
§ Dr. SummerskillAs there has been so much illicit slaughtering, I cannot exclude pig club members.
§ 58. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Food why Mr. A. F. Garton, Long Lane, Tilehurst, Berkshire, has been refused permission to slaughter on his premises a pig intended for home consumption although it has been his practice in the past to have pigs killed on his own premises; and why it has been necessary for three officials to visit Mr. Garton in connection with his application.
§ Dr. SummerskillAs Mr. Garton had moved from Newbury to Tilehurst since he last killed a pig on his own premises in 1944, inquiries had to be made about his new premises before a licence could be issued to him to kill his pig there. We have now arranged for this to be done.
§ 39. Brigadier Petoasked the Minister of Food by what regulation pig keepers for home consumption, who have previously been granted permission to slaughter a pig on their own premises, are now informed that they must take their pigs to a Government slaughterhouse, if they reside within five miles radius of such a house; and what published regulation has cancelled the previous Ministry of Food regulation for issue of licences to slaughter to self-suppliers of pigs, headed L.L.P.
§ Dr. SummerskillThere has been no change in the regulations and domestic pig keepers who obtained a licence to kill pigs for home consumption on their own premises in previous years may do so again this year. I am grateful to the hon. and gallant Member for bringing to my notice the misunderstanding which arose in our local office in Barnstaple, and I have taken steps to see that it is put right.