CAB129-52 — Page 41

SECRET

CABINET OFFICE

C. (52) 158

RECORD COPY

12th MAY, 1952.

CABINET

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COPY NO.

63

MEAT SUPPLIES

Note by the Lord President of the Council.

I have read the Chancellor of the Exchequer's paper (C.(52) 154) and feel bound to record my deep concern about the meat situation.

The meat ration is now so low that I believe the butchers are having difficulty in cutting it up: the public certainly is.

Pre-war consumption of meat was about 99 lbs. per person per year.

lower than it has ever been either pre-war or post-war.

a week of butchers meat which represents little more

In 1951 it was 60 lbs. The ration is now 1/2d.

than lb. per person for domestic consumption.

We cannot expect the public to be satisfied with our administration if we keep the meat ration at this low level when there is meat in the world for us to buy.

I fully recognise the importance of the balance of payments but my opinion is that we ought to buy all the meat we can get both in the Argentine and in Uruguay. The extra drain on the balance of payments would probably not be more than £15 millions at the worst. There may be compensations: if we do not trade with these people they cannot trade with us. By extending our purchases as I suggest we may indeed succeed in encouraging such an exchange of trade that the drain on our balance of payments would not be so much as the figure I have mentioned.

Be that as it may, I am certain that our duty is to get a reasonable diet for the people of this country and 1/2d. worth of meat a week does not give it.

Privy Council Office, S.W.1.

12th MAY, 1952.

W.

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