§ Mr. T. GRIFFITHS asked the Minister of Food whether his attention has been drawn to the high prices now being charged for meat in the absence of control; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?
1689W§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSON: The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The Minister of Food is naturally watching very closely the situation following the decontrol of home-killed meat. There is every reason to believe that, if the public will abstain from paying excessive prices for home killed meat, there will be a speedy reaction. I think it is the general desire that there should be no reversion to statutory control, if it can possibly be avoided, and I may add that so long as the Food Controller is in a position to secure ample supplies of imported meat of good quality at controlled prices, the remedy against high prices for home-killed meat is in the hands of the public.