HC Deb 12 March 1918 vol 104 cc166-7
56. Mr. BYRNE

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he will state the powers of the Irish Food Control Committee?

Mr. CLYNES

The powers and duties of the Irish Food Control Committee are such as are assigned to them by certain orders of the Food Controller. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the new Food Supply Manual, and he will find these powers set out in detail on pp. 338 to 340 thereof.

Mr. BYRNE

Have the Food Control Committee power to insist on the wholesale people supplying their customers on the pre-war standard of foodstuffs, such as sugar?

Mr. CLYNES

That is one of the details my hon. Friend will find set out in the latest statement of the Food Control Committee in Ireland.

Major NEWMAN

Has the Food Controller full authority over the Irish Food Control Committee, or have they independent powers of their own?

Mr. CLYNES

They have very large powers which they exercise independently of the Food Controller, but on all matters of high importance of policy their action is subject, of course, to the Food Controller.

Mr. JOYCE

Will the hon. Gentleman supply other hon. Members with those rules?

Mr. LOUGH

Will the information be supplied to all Members of the House?

Mr. CLYNES

That is a point I am prepared to consider, because we are anxious to distribute information as widely as possible.

Captain SHEEHAN

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Irish Food Control Committee complain that they have no independent powers of administration whatever, and are hampered in every possible way by the Food Controller here?

Mr. CLYNES

We have certainly not heard of any such complaint from the Irish Food Control Committee, and our experience shows they do exercise wide authority, without any restraint from the Food Controller.