§ Mr. LOUGHasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the Government have bought up the whole supply for this season of beef and mutton from Australia, the Argentine, and Patagonia at prices ranging from 6½d. to 7½d. per lb. delivered in this country; and, if so, at what price this meat has been sold to the wholesale distributors, what has become of the difference in these two prices, and what steps have the Government taken to secure that this meat has been resold to the public at fair prices?
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§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe whole supply of Australian meat is purchased by the Government. As was stated by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, in reply to the hon. Member for Tower Hamlets, on the 18th June, the landed cost of this meat in the United Kingdom is 8d. per lb. The importer's commission is 2 per cent., and the wholesaler's profit is limited to ½d. per lb. The South American meat supply is not bought by the Government except to the extent required for Army purposes, but is sold by the importers on the market in the ordinary way. The control of the price of imported meat will be dealt with in conjunction with the control of meat prices generally.