§ Mr. Leonard:asked the Minister of Food what representations he has received from food councils or committees regarding allocations of meat to traders which, when proved to be diseased, were still held to exhaust the traders' quota and fresh supplies refused; and what machinery exists to inspect meat suspected as being diseased?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonI have not received any representations of the kind referred to in the first part of the hon. Member's Question. Any such representations if made by the trader to the deputy or area meat agent or to the local1370W food control committee will be immediately investigated. As for the second part of the Question, the usual peace-time machinery is available. In a memorandum which was recently issued by the Ministry of Health to local authorities in England and Wales emphasis is laid on the fact that I desire to have the benefit of the meat inspection services already provided by local authorities under the ordinary law. A similar memorandum is in preparation for issue by the Department of Health for Scotland to the Scottish local authorities
§ Lieut.-Colonel Acland-Troyteasked the Minister of Food the amount being paid in salaries in the County of Devon, including Exeter and Plymouth, to officials and employés under his Livestock and Meat Rationing Scheme, and the total estimated annual expenditure in this area under this scheme?
§ Mr. MorrisonThe officers and staff employed by the Ministry of Food in the County of Devon in connection with the Meat and Livestock Scheme will cost about £10,168 per annum, and some £5,500 will be paid in fees, etc., for the services of professional men. I am afraid that it is not possible to allocate any other expenses on a county basis