HC Deb 24 March 1952 vol 498 c15
34. Sir I. Fraser

asked the Minister of Food the details of the method whereby offal, including sheep's head and oxtail, are distributed throughout the country.

Dr. Hill

Imported offal and offal from slaughterhouses are distributed to retail butchers in proportion to the quantities of meat they purchase for ration purposes.

Sir I. Fraser

But what about home output? Can my hon. Friend explain why in my constituency and in London we just cannot get an oxtail or a cowtail?

Hon. Members

They are Manx.

Dr. Hill

There is distributed to the retail butchers a quantity of offal which in weight is 11 per cent. of the ration allocation. The distribution of offal to his customers by a butcher is a matter for his own discretion.

Sir I. Fraser

But can my hon. Friend assure us that oxtails, cowtails and sheeps' heads and all these other things are distributed pro rata and fairly to butchers all over the country, from both imported and home-grown sources?

Dr. Hill

Yes, Sir.

Mr. A. C. Manuel

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether it is true or not that there has been a 50 per cent. increase in offal since this awful Government have been returned?