§ 93. Mr. Keenanasked the Minister of Food what percentages of profits are allowed by his Department to traders who are responsible for the supply of meats, etc., to the public, giving those for wholesale meat traders and 'retail butchers, separately.
§ Dr. SummerskillI assume the Question relates only to meat sold through butchers and not to points canned meat. The Ministry sells meat direct to retail butchers 69W through its agents, the wholesale meat supply associations, who receive remuneration ranging between 2 per cent. and 4½ per cent. according to tonnage handled on a notional value which is considerably below current values. Owing to variations in the percentage of gross profit actually earned by retail butchers, caused by a number of circumstances, it is not possible to state the average percentage categorically. Information collected by the Ministry from a representative selection of retail butchers indicates that the majority make a gross profit ranging between 20 per cent. and 30 per cent