§ Mr. FIELDasked the Food Controller whether he is aware that cattle now fit for slaughter must be held by the owners for several months is an impossible position in the case of Ireland where the cattle now stand on the fast disappearing pastures, and that there is no housing or food accommodation in Ireland like there is in England or Scotland whereby these cattle can be kept for the period named by the Food Controller, and that the consequent loss from their deterioration will be one not merely to the actual owners but to the English consumers of meat; whether he is aware that cattle bought and booked for shipment on Thursday, 17th October, for Holyhead from Dublin, while these cattle were in transit the new Order restricting same was issued without previous notice to the consigner, and in consequence of that Order most of these cattle failed to be graded and the Ministry of Food authorities charged the consigner with cross-Channel freight and insurance thereon, and subsequently these cattle had to be removed to a farm with the alternative of selling them as store cattle or reintroducing them after fourteen days for grading with loss to the owner of their keep in the interval and of the cross-Channel freight and insurance; and whether, seeing that these cattle were consigned in good faith under the then existing law, the Ministry of Food will be prepared to favourably consider an application for a refund of the loss so inflicted on the consigner?
§ Mr. CLYNESIt is hoped that it may be possible within the next few weeks to remove the present restriction on the numbers of Irish fat stock to be accepted at English ports, although no definite assurance can be given. I regret that the imposition of this restriction at short notice should have interfered with transactions 2129W already made, but the urgency of the position prevented the giving of longer notice. The fact that the numbers were to be restricted on Sunday, 20th October, was announced in Ireland on the previous day. The Ministry of Food is unable to accept liability for loss sustained by-consigners.
Sir HERBERT ROBERTSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been called to the loss caused to the farmers of the Vale of Clwyd through the restrictions imposed upon the sale of fat cattle and sheep, and to the inconvenience involved in their return to the upland farms; whether he is in a position to make any statement as to the arrangements which have been made for releasing for sale a certain proportion of such stock; and whether he can give an assurance that there will be an improvement in the position in the near future?
§ Mr. CLYNESThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am glad to be able to assure the hon. Baronet that arrangements have been made to utilise the surplus cattle which have been coming forward in this area in the manufacturing districts of Lancashire, and that there is every prospect of an improvement in the situation in the near future.