§ 29. Mr. JOWETTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he is aware of the extent to which scholars of Sunday schools in the North of England are deprived of an innocent and long-looked-for pleasure by his decision that Whitsuntide school treats should not be given this year; that there is no reason whatever for the belief on which his decision has apparently been founded, namely, that food will be saved by the prohibition of Whitsuntide Sunday school treats, seeing that all the children who would have been present at the treats in question will have their evening meal on the Whitsuntide treat day at their separate homes, where the total consumption of food in their many thousands of separate homes will not be less, but, on the other hand, will probably be greater, than if all the children of each school had their simple meal, consisting of a bun and tea only; together; and if he will reconsider his decision on this matter?
Captain BATHURSTI am aware that disappointment will be caused by the decision advising the discontinuance of school treats at Whitsuntide, and I should be glad if some form of entertainment could be devised which did not involve the consumption of an unusual quantity of food. The suggestion of the hon. Member that school treats mean merely a simple meal consisting of a bun and tea only is at variance with the evidence before the Department. The Food Controller is not prepared to reconsider his decision in this matter.