Lieut.-Colonel LOWTHERasked the Minister of Food whether hoards of frozen meat are now lying in cold storage in this country; whether these abnormal unreleased quantities of the people's food are largely responsible for the high prices to-day; and, if so, what steps the Government are taking for its immediate release?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI have been asked to reply. As regards particulars relating to the quantities of meat in cold storage in the United Kingdom, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answers which I gave my hon. and gallant Friends the Member for Torquay (Colonel Burn) on March 9th, the Member for Finchley (Colonel Newman) on March 8th, and the Member for Dulwich (Sir F. Hall) on March 2nd. The high prices of meat are mainly due to the increased cost of the meat in the countries of production, to higher freights than before the War, due to dearer coal and greater costs of operating ships, and to storage and insurance expenses incurred while the meat was waiting for shipment during the War and the period of disorganisation following. The Government are reducing the price of mutton.