§ Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Minister of Food how many cattle and cows were killed for food in 1950; how many were inspected; how many were totally condemned as unfit for human consumption, and for what reason; and how many car-cases there were of which some part or organ was condemned and the percentage, in each case.
§ Major Lloyd George:The total numbers slaughtered for sale for human food in Great Britain in 1950 and the numbers wholly condemned after slaughter were as follow:
Number of slaughtered Number carcasses wholly condemned Cattle (other than cows) 1,580,409 11,657 Cows 634,892 34,284 All animals slaughtered on behalf of my Department may be inspected by the meat inspectors of the local authorities. Where animals are accepted for slaughter as casualties or on the basis of owner's risk it is a condition of purchase that the carcass shall be examined by the meat inspector as the payment to the producer is based on the weight of the carcass, or part of the carcass, passed fit for human consumption. 117,145 cows and 189,884 other cattle were accepted under the latter arrangements and of these 20,556 cows and 6,110 other cattle were totally condemned and are included in the totals given above.
Records are not yet available from all local authorities of the number of carcasses of which parts only were condemned but we have records of the total weight of all condemned meat, including parts of carcasses, and the percentage which this bears 49W to the total weight of meat produced on slaughter during this period was as follow:
Cattle (other than cows) 0.74 per cent. Cows 5.36 per cent. Records are not yet available from all the local authorities of the total number of carcasses examined by their meat inspectors or of the reasons for condemnation.