§ 55. Mr. Heathcoat Amoryasked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that there is much resentment throughout Devon at the poor meat supplied to butchers, particularly beef, and that the average quality of meat available in Devon compares unfavourably with that obtainable in some other parts of the country, notably South Wales and the 2286 Midlands; and what steps he proposes to improve the quality.
§ Mr. WebbI am not aware of any grounds for this feeling in Devon. We do everything we can to see that all butchers get a fair share of the various qualities of meat, and I cannot agree that Devon butchers have been less favourably treated than butchers in South Wales and the Midlands.
Mr. AmoryIs the Minister aware that some of this meat has lately been so horrible that some of my constituents have had no alternative but to refuse their present scanty meat ration? Is he further aware that one of them, having laid his weekly ration before his family then offered it to his dog, by whom it was immediately rejected. Will the Minister come down to my constituency and see some of this stuff?
§ 57. Mr. Perkinsasked the Minister of Food how far British beef is supplied to butchers' shops in the areas covered by the Stroud, Thornbury, Dursley, Gloucester and Nailsworth Rural District Councils; and if he will ensure that a reasonable proportion is made available in the future.
§ Mr. WebbI have not the detailed figures for these particular places but the counties from which they draw supplies, Gloucester and Somerset, received about 21 per cent. of their allocations in home-killed beef during the four weeks ended 9th June, 1950. We try to see that all areas receive a reasonable proportion of the available home-killed beef.