§ 25. Sir J. Gilmourasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantities of meat from South America he estimates will be imported into this country in each of the first eight weeks after the lifting of the ban imposed by him at the time of the foot-and-mouth disease epidemic.
§ Mr. PeartAbout 600 tons in the first week and, provided booked cargo space is filled, about 3,000 and 2,400 tons in the second and third weeks respectively. Most of this will be from Uruguay, with some from Brazil. The trade are not yet in a position to give me estimates for subsequent weeks.
§ Sir J. GilmourAs the Argentine is now refusing to send beef and as the Joint Parliamentary Secretary has just said that our own beef supplies are going down, is the right hon. Gentleman confident that he should not now review his rice Review award for beef cattle?
§ Mr. PeartI cannot review a Price Review award. I gave increased incentives to increase home production and this section of the Price Review was welcomed by the industry.
§ Sir G. NabarroAs the ban on the import of beef carcases is to be lifted on 15th April, what evidence does the right hon. Gentleman have that Uruguay and contiguous countries will not send us their piled up carcases saved up there throughout the period of the ban on imports here?
§ Sir G. NabarroBut not with diseased carcases.
§ Mr. PeartI cannot give precise details now, but I will do my best to get them for the hon. Gentleman.