§ Mr. Sharpasked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the recent livestock losses in the United Kingdom, he has been able to arrange for any increase in the imports of meat.
§ Mr. StracheyRecent livestock losses in the United Kingdom have increased our anxieties about meat supplies. We are, therefore, making every effort to increase imports and to speed up arrivals378W from overseas. I was able to negotiate on my recent visit to the United States for an increase in the amount of meat to be supplied by that country during the next few months. I am also glad to say that, following upon recent conversations with the Argentine Ambassador, his Excellency has just informed me that the Argentine Government, in order to case the food situation in this country, has decided to let us have under our contract in the next few months the whole of Argentina's exportable surplus of meat. Naturally our Argentine supplies are only one factor in the situation and this most welcome and helpful gesture by the Argentine Government cannot remove our anxieties or by any means fully offset the losses from home production which now appear inevitable. Nevertheless, I should like to take this opportunity of expressing our most sincere gratitude for it. The British people will not forget this timely help from the Argentine.