§ 68. Mr. G. Williamsasked the Minister of Food how long it takes to inform butchers officially of any change in the meat ration.
§ Mr. F. WilleyA public announcement is, of course, made immediately. The official notice, however, is a document setting out detailed arrangements and the time taken for its printing and distribution varies. At the last change it took 11 days.
95. Surgeon Lieut.-Commander Bennettasked the Minister of Food how much additional money his Department would have needed to spend, over any convenient period, in order to obtain enough Argentine meat to maintain the 10d. ration beyond 2nd February; and how 5W much money is now being expended, over the same period, to pay butchers the increased rebate of 4s. in the £, as against 2s. 3d.
§ Mr. F. WilleyAs negotiations broke down I cannot say what price we should have had to pay to get Argentine meat in time to maintain the 10d. carcase meat ration. Had it been necessary to pay the price then being asked of £140 a ton, the annual extra cost at that rate of South American meat would be more than three times as much as that of the additional rebate allowed to butchers. In any event, however, that increased rebate will not need to be maintained throughout the year owing to the incidence both of Commonwealth supplies of meat and our own flush period in the autumn.