§ Colonel Burtonasked the Minister of Food whether he can state in detail the individual items of cost of production upon which he based the selling price of meats of various grades?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonThe selling prices of home-killed meat under the control scheme are based upon the level of selling prices ruling just prior to control. They do not wholly cover the cost of livestock purchases by the Government from the farmers plus slaughtering and distribution
2084W
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonThere are 87 salaried employés of the North-Eastern Area Wholesale Meat Supply Association in South Yorkshire. They are employed in connection with the wholesale distribution of both home-killed and imported meat at Barnsley, Doncaster, Goole, Hemsworth, Rotherham and Sheffield. The wholesale meat trade employed many more than 87 persons in peace-time in these towns. As regards the second part of the question, at the slaughter-houses in the towns referred to the following numbers of animals were slaughtered during the two weeks ended 2nd February and 9th February, respectively:
costs. The prices of imported meat were fixed so as to place them in normal relationship with prices of home-killed meat. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a printed leaflet containing particulars of the prices being paid for fat-stock.