asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he is aware that the farmers in the Sodbury Vale, Gloucestershire, are killing off their stocks, including breeding stock, for lack of feeding-stuffs, while 80 tons of feeding-stuffs are stored at the Cow Mills, Chipping Sodbury, which the Government will ant allow to be released; and will he take prompt action?

From inquiries that have been made I understand that the sock of feeding-stuffs referred to consists of home-grown wheat quantity is 80 sacks 9 tons) and not 80 tons represents two-thirds of 120 sacks, one-third of sold for feeding livestock. The remaining two-thirds is precluded by the home Grown Wheat (Control) Order, 1939, from being sold for that purpose if the wheat is of millable quality. The holder of the wheat has submitted a sample to the local wheat committee for a ruling as to whether it is millable wheat within the meaning of the Wheat Acts; if it is decided that a wheat certificate cannot be issued for the wheat, the miller will be able to sell the wheat for feeding livestock.

Can he say whether it is in good order and how long it has been in store?

I have no information to the effect that it is deteriorating.

Can the Minister give an assurance that a decision will be taken before the end of the war?

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he is aware that farmers in the Sodbury Vale, Gloucestershire, who are killing off stock, have to send them to Bristol to he slaughtered, whence the meat is sent on to London, and that the people of Chipping Sodbury, Old Sodbury, Yate, Little Sodbury and Wickwar are unable to obtain meat as there is no local source of supply; and what steps he is taking to remedy this?

Under the Meat and Livestock control scheme farmers in the Sodbury Vale do not have to send their stock to Bristol for slaughter. These farmers may sell their fatstock at the nearest fatstock market which has been approved as a collecting centre, for instance, at Chipping Sodbury and Yate, unless they have individually elected to use another centre. The fatstock is purchased by the Ministry of Food and transported in bulk from the collecting centre to a selected slaughterhouse. The slaughterhouse or slaughterhouses to which particular stock is consigned is decided in the light of the requirements of the country as a whole for the different classes and qualities of meat.

As regards the allegation of a shortage of meat in the districts enumerated in the Question, on account of the absence of the local source of supply, I wish to assure my hon. Friend that any temporary shortage in home-killed meat that has developed has been fully made good by supplies of imported meat.

Is he aware that the supplies they have had are imported meat, and only at the rate of three-quarters of a pound per person including bone?

I cannot accept that figure. My information is that full supplies of meat have been issued in the present week to the places mentioned.

Perhaps I may send my hon. Friend some particulars.

Yes, Sir.