§ 1. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the transport from Aberdeen to the South of live cattle instead of, as formerly, dead meat is uneconomic and places an undue burden on transport facilities; and will he revert to the prewar practice in this matter.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (Dr. Edith Summerskill)I am sorry I cannot agree with the 2 assumptions of my hon. and learned Friend. I would refer him to the answer given to him on 23rd February by my right hon. Friend.
§ Mr. HughesIs the Minister aware that there are a great many ramifications to this practice, which damages subsidiary industries, causes unemployment, is cruel to the cattle, and uses up railway wagons, which are badly needed for other forms of merchandise?
§ Dr. SummerskillMy hon. and learned Friend must remember that the north of Scotland is one of the main producing areas and that cattle there are surplus to requirements. It is essential that they should be sent south. I must differ horn him when he says that this causes unemployment. I think my right hon. Friend pointed out quite clearly last time that one reason why we moved the cattle is to prevent unemployment among the slaughtermen in the south.
§ Mr. HughesIs my hon. Friend aware that, although this is one of the main districts which produces cattle, the practice heretofore has been to kill the castle on the spot, and that a number of subsidiary industries rely on that practice? Is she also aware that this is the wartime practice, and that the peacetime practice was the reverse?
§ Dr. SummerskillMy hon. and learned Friend is quite wrong. If he looks at the figures, he will see that large numbers of cattle were transported to the south before the war.
§ Colonel Gomme-DuncanHow can the hon. Lady assert that this is surplus to requirements, when frozen meat is imported and this good stuff goes south?
§ Dr. SummerskillPerhaps the hon. and gallant Member misunderstood me. I meant surplus to ration requirements.