HL Deb 16 January 1940 vol 115 cc314-6WA
LORD REA

asked His Majesty's Government whether they can see their way to issue a full list of Controls in existence including those set up before the outbreak of war, together with the names of the Controllers and the numbers of the staff involved in each case?

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (THE MARQUESS OF DUFFERIN AND AVA)

Following is a statement giving particulars of the Controls affecting industry and commerce which were in existence on January 1, 1940:

The staff in these cases is part of the general staff of the Ministry and it would not be practicable to distinguish the numbers precisely employed.

Other Staff.
— Control. Director (or Chairman of Board). Deputy and Assistant Directors, Finance Directors, etc. Administrative. Trade—Head-quarters and Provincial. Finance.
Ministry of Food Meat and Livestock Sir Francis Boys 16 84 617 93
Bacon and Ham Mr. J. F. Bodinnar 12 7 455(a) 16
Butter and Cheese Mr. H. E. Davis 8 19 126 36
Milk (Condensed) Mr. E. W. Brown 1 1 1 11
Sugar Colonel F. C. C. Balfour 7 8 27 4
Cereals Sir Alan Anderson (Chairman). 10 15 135(b)
Feeding Stuffs Sir Bryce Burt 12 17 19 9
Imported Eggs Mr. J. A. Peacock — 17 — 5
Oils, Oilseeds and Manufactured Fats. Mr. H. Davis 10 40 42 7
Tea Sir Hubert Carr 2 15 17 93
Dried Fruits Mr. A. E. Gough 1 9 9 89
Cocoa Mr. J. Cadbury 1 — 1
Canned Fish Mr. Dan Tobey 1 4 13 1
Potatoes Captain J. Mollett 2 19 160
(a) Including staff of Bacon Development Board and Bacon and Pigs Marketing Boards, not yet taken over by the Ministry.
(b) Includes staff seconded from the Wheat Commission and staff lent by controlled firms working directly for the Ministry at Headquarters Offices.

Apart from appointments made by the Mines Department, which are mentioned separately below, the only control properly so called appointed by the Board of Trade is the Controller of Dyestuffs, who for practical purposes may be said to control all imports of dyestuffs. The Controller is Sir Robert Waddington.

No Controllers either of the coal or petroleum industries have been appointed. The Government organization for dealing with matters relating to distribution and rationing of coal and oil is centred in the Mines Department and there is a regional organization to deal with these questions locally. This organization includes i6 Divisional Petroleum Officers, 25 Assistant Divisional Petroleum Officers; 12 Divisional Coal Officers and 57 Assistant Divisional Coal Officers; 22 Coal Supplies Officers; and 7 Coal Export Officers.

With regard to shipping, there are no Controllers within the meaning of the question. The control of shipping generally (including the construction and repair of ships) is now exercised by the Minister of Shipping partly under the powers conferred on him as a competent authority under the Defence Regulations and partly by the transfer to him of the functions formerly exercised by the Board of Trade. This general control is mainly exercised by the Minister through the headquarters staff of his Department and, to some extent, with the aid of committees constituted for particular purposes.

No controls have been set up by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. The county war agricultural executive committees were appointed on the outbreak of war largely in order to decentralise work normally carried on in peacetime at the Ministry.

The Minister of Transport has not appointed any Controllers, except in the case of the railways where the Railway Executive Committee exercise control as his agents subject to his general directions. The Committee consists of Sir Ralph Wedgwood, C.B., C.M.G., the General Managers of the four main line railway companies and the Vice-Chairman of the London Passenger Transport Board.

In the case of other services for which the Minister of Transport is responsible—namely, ports, canals, road transport, road communications, and electricity—as well as in regard to the rates and charges of such services, various methods of direction or control have been instituted but no controllers have been appointed. The work has been carried on by the staff of the Ministry or of the Electricity Commission and it would be misleading to tabulate the staff engaged on these services.

House adjourned at five minutes before five o'clock.