§ Captain P. MACDONALDasked the Minister of Agriculture if he can now state whether there is any intention of bringing into force in the near future the scheme for grading the carcases of cattle, sheep, and pigs in this country on a dead-weight basis; and whether this scheme has been approved by the farmers' organisations?
§ Mr. ELLIOTAn experimental scheme for the consignment of gradable fat cattle from farm to abattoir for sale on a grade and dead weight basis was introduced, in conjunction with the National Farmers' Union, in May, 1930.1152W Facilities for operating the scheme are available at the National Mark beef grading centres at London, Birmingham, Leeds, Bradford and Halifax. Early in 1933 at the request of the National Farmers' Union the scheme was extended experimentally to sheep, and a successful large-scale experiment for fat lambs and ewes has been carried out during the summer of this year at Manchester and Liverpool on behalf of the North Wales Marketing Committee of the National Farmers' Union. More recently experiments on similar lines have been made, in conjunction with producers' organisations, in regard to certain classes of pigs.