§ Mr. HANCOCKasked the Minister of Food the amount of bacon, including ham, which the Ministry had in stock on the 9th of each month since September, 1919; the quantities that were condemned as unfit for human consumption for each of those months, and the loss per ton that was involved in that condemnation; whether any stocks are now held; if so, what is the amount; is that stock being increased or decreased; and is there a probability of further condemnation?
§ Mr. McCURDYI regret that it is impossible for me to provide the hon. Member with the figures asked for in the first part of the question since stocktaking is not a daily occurrence, and I cannot therefore state the exact amounts of bacon held by the Ministry on any given date. The obtaining of even an approximate figure would involve a considerable statistical investigation, and I hope that for this reason the hon. Member will not press his request for these figures or for those as to present stocks, the giving of which would prejudice the position of the Ministry as a purchaser of bacon. A statistical return showing the quantities of bacon condemned as unfit for human consumption in each of the months September to April will be prepared as soon as possible and the result will be communicated to the hon. Member; but the loss per ton involved in the condemnation cannot be determined until the cost of the goods, which is now the subject of negotiation, is fixed. The stocks now held by the Ministry of Food are being decreased because strike conditions in America and Denmark prevent the moving of goods from those countries. Under pre-War transport conditions a certain amount of bacon imported from abroad in the summer inevitably became unfit for food, and it is not possible under present conditions to hold out the hope that wastage will be entirely eliminated, although since the Ministry has resumed control of purchases and shipment it has been reduced to negligible proportions.