§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Secretary of State for War what firms contracting for the supply of Australian meat for the Army applied for a modification of the specification under which they had contracted, to allow them to remove, on account of the presence of a parasitic worm, certain parts of the carcase not previously allowed to be removed; what firms have taken advantage of this modification; whether the modification continues in favour of any of these firms whose meat of the same parts as accepted for the Army has been condemned by a sanitary authority as infected with the worm and unfit for human food; what is the estimated saving effected by taking this Australian meat instead of sound British or Irish meat; and whether he is aware of the opinion prevalent in Ireland that foot-and-mouth disease is maliciously introduced in the interest of importers and contractors for the supply of imported meat?
§ Mr. HAROLD BAKERThe removal of the flanks and briskets, on account of the possible presence of a parasite, takes place in Australia under Government supervision. There has, therefore, been no question of authorising Army meat eontractor3 to remove those parts. The saving resulting from the issue of frozen beef instead of home-bred beef on four days in the week is estimated at £150,000 a year for the troops stationed in the United Kingdom. I am not aware that the suggestion as to the origin of foot-and-mouth disease contained in the last portion of the question is prevalent in Ireland, but the occasional existence of foot-and-mouth disease in parts of Great Britain and Ireland has not been one of the factors in the question of Army meat supply.