§ Mr. MACQUISTENasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that there are large numbers of carcases of mutton in cold storage for which butchers are asking, being without mutton; that the said mutton if much longer in store will go blue mouldy; and whether he will instruct the Food Controller either to re release the same now and meet the public demand or, if it is kept much longer, to send it to Germany?
§ Mr. McCURDYI have been asked to reply. On 1st March the total stocks of frozen mutton and lamb in store were 20,126 tons, of which only 7,200 tons were available for civilian consumption, the re-2256W mainder being reserved to meet Army requirements. Mutton and beef are issued by the Ministry in a fixed ratio, in order to ensure that retailers are equally treated. There are no grounds for suggesting that the mutton now in store will go mouldy or that mutton is being withheld from the public.