Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 14 December 1949.
Mr Cyril Osborne
, Louth Borough
12:00,
14 December 1949
asked the Minister of Food why Argentine meat cannot be imported chilled instead of frozen, in view of the fact that this would improve its quality, and that there are refrigerator ships to spare.
Dr Edith Summerskill
, Fulham West
To maintain a reasonably level ration we must store imported meat for issue when home-killed supplies are low. Chilled meat cannot be stored in this way.
Mr Cyril Osborne
, Louth Borough
What is the total tonnage of the 13 ocean-going liners which are being used as floating refrigerators; what is the cost of maintaining them; how long have they been kept like it; and why is this extravagant, costly and crazy policy proceeding?
Dr Edith Summerskill
, Fulham West
That is an entirely different question.
Sir Edward Keeling
, Twickenham
Can the right hon. Lady say whether the freezing of Argentine beef is in fact the main cause of the complaint about its quality to which her own meat controller referred the other day?
Dr Edith Summerskill
, Fulham West
No, Sir, but, of course, freezing does not improve the quality. It is not the main cause, but it does not improve the quality.
Mr Cyril Osborne
, Louth Borough
As the reply is so unsatisfactory, I will take any opportunity I find to raise the matter on the Adjournment.
Sir Edward Keeling
, Twickenham
asked the Minister of Food what proportion of the Argentine beef imported is cow.
Dr Edith Summerskill
, Fulham West
About seven per cent. over the year.
Sir Archer Baldwin
, Leominster
Will the right hon. Lady say whether the Ministry of Food imported this tough meat in order to impress on the British public that they are literally eating the Argentine rails?
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
