§ Mr. De Chairasked the Minister of Agriculture what he is doing to allay the widespread anxiety of farmers at the proposed livestock marketing control scheme, as they feel confident of being better able to supply the country's requirements through a free market, failing which, they would prefer control on the lines of the control in operation during the last war; and, above all, they do not want any deadweight procedure with closure of slaughter-houses?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonI have been asked to reply. I am not aware of any widespread anxiety of farmers at the proposed livestock marketing control scheme. The close consultations my Department and the Agricultural Departments are having with the National Farmers' Unions of England and Scotland provide farmers with an opportunity to draw my attention to any such anxiety as may exist. The proposed scheme which has been devised in the light of the experience gained during the last war, has the objects of ensuring that the meat supply, whether home-produced or imported, is allocated fairly throughout the country; that the producer receives a fair price and that the consumer is not exploited; and that all the by-products are properly handled. I am satisfied that these objects can be attained only if the Government buys the fatstock, slaughters it and distributes the resulting meat to the retail meat trade and the by-products to the trades who normally handle them.