asked the Minister of Food the comparative quantities of home-grown meat available for slaughter as at 29th September, 1939, 1945 and 1950; what percentage of these livestock were slaughtered; and what factors are preventing a higher proportion from being killed and thus increasing the meat ration.

Information as to the numbers sold in the last week of September, 1939, is not available but I give below the numbers of home-fed animals purchased by my Department in the last week of September, 1945 and 1950. All stock is normally slaughtered within a few days of purchase and no meat has been lost to the ration because we could not accept stock from farmers.