§ 53. Mr. Royleasked the Minister of Food why the National Federation of Meat Traders, which has in its membership upwards of 25,000 manufacturers of meat products in England and Wales, was not asked to submit names for membership of the Meat Products Working Party when other organisations representing far fewer meat manufacturers were so invited.
§ Mr. StracheyI regret that in view of the necessity of keeping the number of members of this group within a practicable limit for a working party it was not found possible to invite the main organisations of retail butchers to nominate members. I appreciate, however, that retail butchers are closely interested in questions affecting the hygiene of meat manufacture. My two retail meat trade advisers, who are practical butchers, will advise the Working Party on matters particularly affecting retail butchers. The National Federation of Meat Traders will be invited to give written and oral evidence.
§ Mr. RoyleDoes not my right hon. Friend think that as long as other organisations are actually represented on this Working Party it would have been advantageous to the Working Party to have representatives from the organisation which covers the largest number of manufacturers?
§ Mr. StracheyThe organisations represented on the Working Party are not those strictly concerned with the matter under investigation. We thought it better to have none rather than all of those organisations.