§ 41 Mr. HIGHAMasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (1) if he will state which authority is to reimburse food control committees for expenditure which the Minister of Food declares, after the expenditure has been incurred, not to be reasonable or necessary; whether the authority which is liable to have to meet that unreasonable and unnecessary expenditure has any control over the expenditure; (2) what statutory authority the Ministry of Food possesses for the issue of paragraph 1 of Circular No. 11 by which it instructs local authorities to advance public funds to food control committees, such committees being independent bodies over which the local authorities has no control or even right to criticism; (3) if he will so amend Circular No. 11 as to require food control committees to get the consent of the financially responsible authority before incurring expenditure which must be met by the authority?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of FOOD (Mr. Clynes)A food control committee can only incur such expenditure as is authorised either by the Food Controller or by the appointing authority or authorities. The circular to which the hon. Member refers is a memorandum to executive officers based on Clause 20 of the Food Control Committees (Constitution) Order, 1917, which indicates that the appointing authority is to advance such moneys as a food committee may require, subject to repayment by the Food Controller of expenditure which he authorises. The Treasury have approved repayment of all expenses reasonably incurred in the years 1917–1918, provided that such expenses are duly certified by the Divisional Food Commissioners. It is not considered that any modification of the circular memorandum is either necessary or desirable.