Meat Ration

HC Deb 18 September 1950 vol 478 cc1527-8

7. Sir Ian Fraser

asked the Minister of Food whether he can make any announcement about the level of the meat ration for the remainder of this year.

Mr. Webb

I generally prefer not to speculate about ration levels, but I think I can safely say that the meat ration will not vary very much over the next month or so.

Sir I. Fraser

Is there not an abundance of home-produced meat available, and would it not greatly benefit the consumer if this trade was largely freed from Government control?

Mr. Webb

There is a very large quantity of home-produced meat available now. Unfortunately, one of the limiting factors is the absence of slaughterhouse and labour capacity to take advantage of all the meat we have. On the whole, we are making available to the consumer all the home-killed meat, but I cannot speculate in advance of the next month or two in the light of the Argentine and other negotiations now taking place.

Sir Waldron Smithers

When will the right hon. Gentleman realise that if the Government attempt to break the law of supply and demand that law will break them and the country?