§ 148. Mr. Shurmerasked the Minister of Food if he is aware that in Birmingham it is not possible to purchase cooked ham in retail shops whilst it is being served in hotels and restaurants and can also be bought in sandwiches at high prices; and if he will take steps to make cooked ham available in the retail shops in this area.
§ Mr. WebbThe cooked ham served in hotels and restaurants comes from their ordinary bacon allocation, and, of course, housewives can sometimes buy their ration in the form of a piece for boiling; but I am afraid there is not enough bacon to provide retail shops with hams for sale boiled off the ration. Small supplies of canned cooked hams are being sold by private traders and I understand that some of these have been supplied to retail shops in the Birmingham area.