§ 47. Sir T. Mooreasked the Prime Minister whether he will consider authorising a change of responsibility between 953 the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Food in regard to animals, so as to ensure that the Minister of Agriculture will be responsible for animals destined for human consumption until they are actually slaughtered, and that the Minister of Food only assumes responsibility after such animals are, in fact, food.
§ The Prime Ministeras I said in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea, South (Mrs. Ganley) on 2nd July, discussions about the long-term arrangements for slaughtering home-produced livestock are now taking place between the Ministry of Food, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the interests concerned, and any question of a change of responsibilities must await their outcome.
§ Sir T. Moorewill the appropriate Ministers bear in mind that Ministry of Food inspectors, though probably admirable people in every way, have no real knowledge of the habits and ways of animals when they are alive? They know about them only when the animals are dead and become meat. Is it not in everyone's interest that the division of responsibility should be decided?
§ The Prime MinisterThat is exactly why the consultations are taking place. The Ministry of Food largely deal with dead animals and the Ministry of Agriculture with live animals.