§ Colonel Baldwin-Webbasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) whether, in view of the fact that he is not proposing at present to ration meat, and in order to avoid disorganising the trading life of whole sections of the trading community, he will discontinue remodelling the system of slaughtering, the alteration of market days and the rearrangement of the existing system of meat distribution;
(2) whether he is aware that his Department has issued instructions for the remodelling of the established market days in most of the counties of England and Wales in the interests of the stock-collecting centres and of the disorganisation which this is causing, of which a type is supplied by the fixing of an inappropriate day for Wellington, Shropshire, whereby the sale of stock will clash with the general market day arrangements; and whether, before sanctioning these changes, he will review the whole procedure which is being adopted?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydWhilst the present supply position does not necessitate the rationing of meat, the size of the meat and livestock industry and the number of interests concerned are such that the preparations now being made must be continued against the necessity arising later for full control. With regard to the specific point relating to Wellington, it is not intended, when full control is introduced, that the fat stock market day at Wellington should be changed, but it has been considered desirable to provide for the collection of some fat stock at Wellington on a second day in each week.