HC Deb 02 March 1966 vol 725 c1281
19. Mr. Lipton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for how much longer he plans to withhold from disposal stocks of corned beef withheld from the market since June, 1964.

Mr. Peart

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies which I gave on 22nd December, 1965, to him and on 26th January to my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Lomas).

Mr. Lipton

Is my right hon. Friend aware that I did not like the Answer of 2nd December? Will he indicate what his intentions are regarding this ageing and suspect meat which was withdrawn after the Aberdeen typhoid epidemic? Does he realise that, so long as he does not make up his mind, the public will be perturbed and they will heave a sigh of relief if he heaves the lot into the sea?

Mr. Peart

I made up my mind and I made a public statement on this—that no stocks will be released on the British market.