§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if it is permitted under the meat rationing scheme that poultry reared by members of a household and rabbits or hares caught by them may be consumed in addition to the rations; if pheasants and other game birds are also outside the rations; if it will be possible for a member of a self-supplying household to have extra supplies of home-produced food sent to him if he is away from home on a visit to a friend's house but not if he is temporarily occupying another house of his own; and if he will explain the reasons for drawing a distinction between the two cases?
§ Mr. CLYNES:Rabbits, hares, and birds (other than poultry and game birds) kept or caught by members of a household may for the present be consumed in addition to the ration. Poultry kept and pheasants or other game caught or killed in the neighbourhood by any member of a household, or any employéof a householder, may be taken within the rations at two-thirds of their actual weight. I take the opportunity of making a correction in the statement on this subject as issued last week, when, owing to the accidental omission of a reference to poultry, it was made to appear that home-reared poultry could be taken outside the ration altogether. The point is now dealt with by statutory Directions under the London and Home Counties Rationing Order in the sense of this answer. It is in contemplation to limit this privilege to people actually resident in the district in which the food is produced or absent for a period not exceeding four weeks in all. It makes no difference where the period of absence is spent so long as it is merely temporary, and a person who, while actually residing in the country, pays a short visit to a 1110W home of her own in the town, can continue to draw supplies as a self-supplier. I should add that the foregoing arrangements are provisional. The whole question is now being examined by a Special Committee.