§ 19. Mr. ACLANDasked the Minister of Munitions how many officers of his Department are entitled to use motor cars provided by the Department for the purpose of bringing them from their homes to the office, taking them out to lunch, and taking them home; how much petrol is consumed weekly on service of this kind; and whether, in view of the appeal recently issued by the Petrol Committee to economise petrol, he will have the waste of cars, petrol, and drivers caused by this service to be at once discontinued?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of MUNITIONS (Mr. Kellaway)The official Regulations of the Ministry forbid the use of official cars for the purposes named in my hon. Friend's question, but in the interests of public business it has been found necessary to make exceptions in the case of members of the Munitions Council. In actual practice, this privilege is only exercised in a limited degree. The quantity of petrol used in this way is small, and it would be impossible exactly to distinguish the consumption from that used in absolutely official business.
§ Mr. WATTDoes the hon. Gentleman consider it in the public interest that servants in the various Departments should be speeded out to their lunch in motor cars and speeded back again?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYThat was the point put in this question. With the exception to which I have referred, ears are not allowed to be used for this purpose.
§ 25. Mr. ACLANDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many officers of his Department are entitled to use motor cars provided by the Department for the purpose of bringing them from their homes to the office, taking them out to lunch, and taking them home; how much petrol is consumed weekly on service of this kind; and whether, in view of the appeal recently issued by the Petrol Committee to economise petrol, he will have the waste of cars, petrol, and drivers caused by this service at once discontinued?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)The number of Admiralty officers to whom Service cars are permanently allocated is eleven. The officers are entitled to use the cars thus allocated for the 27 purposes set out in the question whenever reasons of Service urgency, or the absence of the ordinary means of public conveyance, compel the use of a Service vehicle. The total amount of petrol consumed weekly by the above vehicles amounts to 77½ gallons for all duties, of which journeys to and from residences and luncheons form a negligible proportion. Every effort is made by the Admiralty to restrict the use of motor vehicles to occasions of strict Service necessity. A log book is kept for each vehicle, and in it are shown full particulars of each journey, the number and description of passengers carried, and the amount of petrol consumed
§ Mr. ACLANDCould not the right hon. Gentleman see his way to restrict this privilege at any rate to Lords of the Admiralty, and not extend it to all these officers?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI will have that particular idea looked into.
§ Mr. HOGGEWhat is the use of the Government establishing restaurants in these Government buildings if the parties concerned cannot get their lunch there?