Day 037 - 14 Oct 94 - Page 75


     
     1        that 2,000 butchers shops close down every week.  There
     2        would have to be a huge number of butchers shops in the
     3        country to enable 2,000 to close down each week.
     4
     5   Q.   Can I ask a question which underlies that passage?  In
     6        your view, would it be a very good thing if all the
     7        butcher shops in the country closed down?
     8        A.  A very good thing?
     9
    10   Q.   Yes.
    11        A.  I would like to see -- I have always said this --
    12        I would like to see butchers selling the products that
    13        people want to buy.
    14
    15   Q.   Sorry, you would like to see?
    16        A.  Selling the products that people want to buy, and in
    17        the middle of this paragraph here, it does say -- I think
    18        this is the thrust of Mr. Rampton's question -- "He does
    19        not appear bothered by the effects of unemployment" etc.,
    20        etc.  That is not true, I am.  I have always sought, you
    21        know, to deal with this question as constructively as
    22        possible.
    23
    24        In fact, I have given advice on occasion to butchers as to
    25        how they should cope with changing food preferences and
    26        the drift towards vegetarianism in this country and, you
    27        know, I hope in no form am I antibusiness or anticommerce
    28        at all.  I believe in being as positive and as
    29        constructive as possible.  So, I am afraid that paragraph
    30        is very misleading as far as my own views are concerned.
    31
    32   Q.   Did you say to Mr. Thomas you would like to see every
    33        slaughter house closed down and meat just a luxury
    34        foodstuff consumed by very few people?
    35        A.  Again, you know, a dreadful amount of concertina-ing
    36        has gone on here.  I said that I would love to see every
    37        slaughter house converted to tofu plant.
    38
    39   Q.   Yes, exactly, or a veggie burger production?
    40        A.  Well, why not?  The second part of your question which
    41        was -- could you remind, please?
    42
    43   Q.   No, I simply asked whether you told him you would love to
    44        see all the slaughter houses closed?
    45        A.  No, there was a second part to it as well.
    46
    47   Q.   We can look at our screens for that if it matters.
    48        A.  I have lost the quote, I am afraid.
    49
    50   Q.   Yes, that is what is here, meat consumed as a luxury by 
    51        very few people? 
    52        A.  If you enquire into the nature of paleolithic 
    53        nutrition, you will find that the best evidence you can
    54        obtain from those scientists who have studied it does
    55        suggest that that is the rightful position, amongst the
    56        meat-eaters' at least, that is the rightful position of
    57        meat in a diet, that it is actually a very scarce luxury
    58        foodstuff.  So, I suspect that is probably -----
    59
    60   Q.   It may be so, Mr. Cox.  We are no doubt grateful for your

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