§ Mr. FIELDasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he has received a communication from the Irish Cattle Traders and Stock Owners Association requesting that every owner of Irish cattle holding a dealer's licence be free to sell to whom he pleases, that every meat trader holding a permit from the Food Controller should be entitled to purchase up to his permitted number from whom he pleases, that the flat rate should not apply to Irish cattle except that where the cross-Channel freight as well as the 7s. 6d. due to the seller refunded to him out of the flat-rate fund, no further objections would be offered to that rate; whether any reply has been sent, and how the matter now stands?
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§ Mr. CLYNESThe communication referred to by the hon. Member does not appear to have been received by the Ministry of Food, but the question as to what regulations should be made respecting the shipment of Irish cattle and meat to England is at present under consideration by the Food Controller, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland. It is hoped that it may be possible to make a more definite statement with regard to this matter at an early date.