§ Colonel Carverasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what progress has been made in increasing the importation into this country of boned or compressed meat in place of whole carcases; and whether, in view of the great saving in shipping space which would result he will press ahead with this reform with all urgency?
Major Lloyd GeorgeMy Noble Friend has made arrangements with the shippers in the South American meat supplying countries, who are the largest exporters of beef to the United Kingdom, to bone out 50 per cent. of all butchers' beef and 100 per cent. of all manufacturing beef and pork exported to this country. In addition, large purchases of canned beef have been made by His Majesty's Government. The boning out of 50 per cent. of the butchers' beef and of the beef for the preparation of the canned beef purchases utilises the maximum present boning out capacity of the plants. Supplies of beef from the Dominions are also boned out up to the capacity of the plants for this work. In the case of mutton and lamb, boning out is not practicable, but the carcases have been telescoped since the early days of the war to save shipping space.