asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been drawn to the lack of weighbridges for weighing live cattle in rural districts; and whether he will recommend the priority branch to issue priority certificates for the provision of such weighbridges?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Every effort is being made by the Ministry of Food to provide adequate facilities for the weighing of live cattle. Where no facilities for such weighing are in existence, arrangements have been made with railway companies for the use of weighbridges at their stations if these are within reach of the markets, and in several districts it has been possible to obtain the use of other weighbridges. Lord Rhondda considers that in view of the serious shortage of material and of skilled labour the issue of priority certificates should only be recommended in cases of extreme urgency, where recourse to other methods is impossible.