§ 57. Mr. S. Shephardasked the Minister of Food if he is aware that there is no pork butcher at Oxton, Nottinghamshire, and that the people of that village are unable to obtain either sausage, pork or pies, since a licence to supply the local butcher with pork has been refused; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.
§ Sir B. SmithPork forms part of the meat ration and is sold only by general butchers. The application to which the hon. Member refers is not for a supply of pork but for an additional allocation of manufacturing meat. Such an allocation is only granted to a general butcher if he had an entirely separate pork butchery business before the war. This condition is not satisfied in the case the hon. Member has in mind, and I regret that I cannot treat this case exceptionally. As regards the supply of sausages and pies for the people of Oxton, the local butcher receives the normal allowance of manufacturing meat for use in the preparation of unrationed meat products. I am happy to say I am now increasing this allowance generally by over 40 per cent.