asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that under the present scale of payment for calves the animal must be 100 lb. in weight to obtain 11d. a lb.; and whether, in view of the fact that calves of excellent quality often only reach 80 lb., he will consider a grade somewhere between 7d. and 11d. a lb.?

The price of first quality veal calves has been 1s.3d. per lb. since the introduction of control, and the minimum weight for this grade of calf was put at 100 lb. Since 18th March calves of 90 lb. or over, and in the case of the smaller breeds, of a few pounds less, can be graded as first quality, and there has been no minimum weight limit for second quality veal calves which are purchased by the Ministry at 11d. per lb. The price for third quality veal calves was increased to 9d. per lb. on that date.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he can furnish an estimate of the number of persons engaged in local food offices whose chief occupation is that of dealing with the registration of consumers at particular shops; and what is the approximate annual cost of this part of the work of rationing?

The volume of work relating to the registration of consumers depends mainly on the number of temporary and permanent removals and therefore varies widely from area to area. We should need a very large staff to make an estimate of the number of staff engaged on this work.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food why he requires shopkeepers to count, and his staff to check, 100,000,000 coupons per week in respect of the rationing of bacon and butter, so long as the permitted ration is in excess of the normal consumption of a large proportion of the people?

The counting of coupons by shopkeepers is optional, but it is of material assistance to food control committees if the numbers of coupons forwarded to them are indicated on the packets. I cannot accept the implication that the circumstances mentioned in the last part of the Question would justify a general relaxation of control.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in forming the consultative committee to further the better use of home-produced foods, full advantage will be taken of the experience gained by the National Milk Publicity Council during many years of successful work?

Yes, Sir. My hon. Friend can be assured that my Noble Friend will avail himself of the experience of the National Milk Publicity Council, in the movement for giving guidance on the use of food.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will take steps to prevent future supplies of milk being endangered by the slaughter on a large scale of milch cows and calves; and whether he is aware that the prices charged for the carcases of these beasts is in many cases as high as that of best quality beef?

I have no evidence of any unusual slaughter of cows and calves at the present time. The prices charged for the great majority of cow carcases are lower than those for best quality beef, although, for a relatively small number of best quality cow carcases and for carcases of veal, the prices charged are equal to the price for best quality beef.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that many thousands of gallons of milk are sold at less than 6d. per gallon for the manufacture of chocolate, etc., while the price to the domestic consumer is 7d. per quart, and that this price is too high for the working classes to pay; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative. The price of milk paid by confectionery manufacturers was raised on 1st April to 1s. 1½d. per gallon as compared with a pre-war price of 7½d. per gallon.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that there are many districts in the country where barley meal is unobtainable, or where corn merchants can only obtain 10 per cent. of their normal pre-war deliveries; whether he will give an assurance that this is not being occasioned by the utilisation of barley meal for cakes or compound mixtures; and whether, since the outbreak of the war, these cakes and cubes are to be considered as balanced rations?

It is not possible, in existing circumstances, to ensure that supplies of maize and barley will be available in their pre-war proportions at all times and in all parts of the country. Where supplies of barley have been ex-ecptionally short, the deficiency has been made up by supplies of maize. The shortage of barley meal is not due to its use in compounds; maize rather than barley has been allocated for that purpose. With regard to the last part of the Question, all the provisions of the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act are still in force.

Can my hon. Friend give some assurance that a complete overhaul of the present system of distribution is taking place and that he will be able to give us some statement about a final decision in these matters, because the present position is not satisfactory?

The position is constantly being improved.

Has the shortage of barley anything to do with the increased consumption of beer?

Brewers are not producing more; the amount is the same as last year.

I do not know as much about beer as you do.

Withdraw.

On a point of Order. Is it right for a Member to impute motives?

Unfortunately I did not catch the remark.

May I say, Mr. Speaker, that I was imputing knowledge and not motives?

Has not the Minister more knowledge of margarine than of beer?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, owing to the scarcity of mutton and lamb, which is being keenly felt in Northern Ireland at the moment, and the abundance of both in Britain, he will arrange for a time, until the supply becomes normal again, that the requirements of Northern Ireland be met by assigning to it a portion of the available New Zealand mutton and lamb?

I understand that a temporary shortage of mutton has been experienced in Northern Ireland but that ample supplies of other forms of fresh meat have been, and are, available. My Noble Friend has given consideration to my hon. Friend's suggestion that supplies of mutton should be diverted to Northern Ireland, but I feel that such a course would not be justified in war-time, particularly as there is every reason to anticipate that the shortage will be temporary.

Could my hon. Friend not divert even a small quantity of mutton for a few weeks until the supply comes, because in Northern Ireland we have had practically no mutton for weeks and weeks?

In war-time, transport is so important that we do not feel that that course could be justified.

Is it not a fact that the troops in France are suffering from an undue supply of beef and that they would appreciate a supply of mutton and lamb?

Does the Minister not think it possible that Northern Ireland might have a more friendly relationship with Eire in this matter?

That has nothing to do with mutton.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in view of the fact that the farmers of Northern Ireland are not being furnished with the dead weight of the fat cattle sold by them, he will arrange that the grading of these animals is no longer carried out as at present by a single individual, a veterinary officer, from whose decision there is no appeal, but that, in order to put an end to the prevailing dissatisfaction among cattle raisers in Northern Ireland, this work will be done in future by a panel of three graders, a veterinary officer, a farmer, and an auctioneer, as in Great Britain?

My hon. Friend's suggestion will be carefully considered.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, whether he is contemplating any action to prevent food-hoarding by retailers?

Machinery for controlling retailers' stocks of rationed foods already exists under the rationing scheme. In the case of unrationed foods I think it is desirable that reasonable stocks should be held, but if evidence were forthcoming that retailers were accumulating unreasonably large stocks, it might be necessary to take action such as the hon. Member suggests.

Is the Minister satisfied that no such unreasonably large stocks are being accumulated?

At this moment, yes.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that the Burnley area received only £8,000 worth of meat per week for a population of 176,000, while nearby areas have received in comparison twice the amount, namely, £2,000 worth for a population of less than 25,000; can he give any reason for this; and will he see that the area receives more adequate and better quality supplies?

The aggregate value of the buying permits of the butchers in the Burnley area is £8,737; that of the butchers in the neighbouring area of Rawtenstall and Bacup is £3,300. The meat purchased by butchers in these areas in the three weeks ended 29th March averaged £6,682 and £2,272 respectively per week. The butchers' permits are based upon their registrations; their purchases are based upon the demands made upon them within the limit of their permits. The population of a district does not necessarily determine the butchers' registrations in that district since the public often purchase in districts other than that in which they reside. I can assure the hon. Member that the Burnley area is being treated fairly in regard to both the quantity or quality of the meat with which it is supplied.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in connection with the provision of sugar and supply of fruit for preserving, he will take steps to ensure that householders are allowed to buy sufficient quantities of both sugar and fruit, in order to avoid such waste of fruit, both home-grown in private gardens, and by market and nursery gardeners?

Inquiry is being made to ascertain the demand for sugar from persons who wish to preserve fruit grown in their own gardens or allotments. When the information is available, my Noble Friend will be in a position to say whether it is practicable to make a special allowance of sugar to persons who buy home-grown fruit for preserving.

Is it not of the utmost importance that as much fruit as possible should be preserved this year and not wasted, and does my hon. Friend realise that Evesham is particularly affected in this matter?

I am aware of the importance of the matter.

Is there any doubt that there will be sugar available to the small fruit-grower?

Any doubt will be resolved as soon as we get information of the amount needed for home-produced fruit.

Is a census being made in connection with the matter?

We have information as to the possible supplies.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he has considered the complaint of local authorities in Scotland regarding the lack of co-operative effort and consultation between the Ministry and the authorities in connection with the Meat Control Scheme and the method of distribution; and whether action is to be taken to remove the cause of this complaint?

I am not aware of the complaints referred to in the first part of the Question. If the hon. Member will send me particulars, I will look into the matter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he has recommended that slaughtermen and cutters be placed in the reserved list of occupations; and whether he can state the approximate date when a decision will be made on this important matter?

Slaughtermen and butchers' cutters are already on the reserved list of occupations for reservation at age 30. I presume the hon. Member refers to the proposal that the age of reservation of slaughtermen and cutters should be reduced from 30 to 25. If so, I would refer him to the replies which he received from my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Labour on 7th March. As regards the second part of the Question, it is hoped that a decision will be reached very shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has now considered the report for which he asked, regarding the increases in charges proposed by the Notting Hill Electric Lighting Company; and what action he proposes to take?

Yes, Sir. The Electricity Commissioners have carefully examined the detailed estimates of income and expenditure, and supporting data, upon which the Notting Hill Electric Lighting Company, Limited, have based their increased charges. The Commissioners have advised me that they see no reason to take exception to the estimates, which make no provision for earning any dividend on the 6 per cent. cumulative preference shares of the company or any dividend on the ordinary shares. In all the circumstances, I do not see any grounds for intervening; I have, however, asked the Electricity Commissioners to review the position at the end of June.

While thanking my right hon. and gallant Friend for his reply, may I take it that the consumers of electricity under this company are not precluded from making representation, as was promised a few weeks ago, in regard to individual cases?

Certainly not. I shall be very glad to consider individual cases.

Could not arrangements be made to merge some of these small, inefficient companies into bigger units, so that consumers may get bigger and cheaper supplies?

That is an entirely different, and a very much larger, question.