§ 53. Mr. Willeyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what slaughterhouses are at present being operated by his Department; and what profit is being made by their use.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. J. B. Godber)Only the one at Grimsby. Negotiations for the sale of this slaughterhouse are contemplated and might be prejudiced by publication at this time of the financial results of operation under Government occupation.
§ Mr. WilleyCan the Joint Parliamentary Secretary say what the Ministry is doing in the slaughterhouse business? I thought it got out of that years ago. Why is the Joint Parliamentary Secretary so coy about this matter? Surely, if he has made a profit he should be willing to tell us?
§ Mr. GodberWhether profit or loss, it is better to leave it until these negotiations are completed. In the case of this one slaughterhouse, the local authority was not willing to operate it until the negotiations for sale had taken place.