§ Lieut.-Colonel MURROUGH WILSONasked the Minister of Food why the facilities given to Smithfield, Edinburgh, Norwich, and York in regard to the sale of stock by auction at the Christmas fat-stock show cannot be extended to fat-stock shows held at smaller centres; and whether he will reconsider his decision on the matter?
Mr. ROBERTSThe facilities to which the hon. and gallant Member refers were granted, after very careful consideration, to shows of fat-stock which had a claim to be regarded as of national importance. To extend the concession to fat-stock shows held at other centres would result in the sale of very large numbers of prime cattle at prices in excess of those at which I undertook to supply the butcher with meat. In view of the number of second and third-grade animals allocated to the butchers at controlled prices it would be unfair to remove from them all opportunity of obtaining a proportion of first-grade beasts at the same rate. In these circumstances I do not propose to alter the decision already made.