HC Deb 14 March 1939 vol 345 cc197-8
28. Mr. Mander

asked the President of the Board of Trade the present duties of the 18 Divisional Food Officers to whom annual retaining fees amounting to a total of 1,600 guineas per annum are being paid; and the amount of time at present being devoted by them weekly to those duties?

Mr. Stanley

The main duties of Divisional Food Officers are to act as advisers to the Department on food control matters arising in their divisions; to help with the selection of the personnel of the local organisation; to give advice as to the plans for food control in time of war to those engaged in the wholesale and retail distribution of food and related materials; to assist in the formation of road food transport groups; and to maintain contact with the various special organisations of the food trades in their areas. The amount of time devoted to these duties varies in the different areas and at different times, but on the average over the last four months it may be broadly stated as equivalent to one-third to one-half of full-time service.

Mr. Mander

Will they be required to live somewhere in the areas for which they are responsible?

Mr. Stanley

I think they are all living either inside their areas or just outside.

Mr. Garro Jones

On what principle have the Government decided to pay a retaining fee for this form of National Service while expecting large numbers of other persons to give National Service free?

Mr. Stanley

For the simple reason that the Board of Trade have no provincial organisation at all, and that it is essential that they should have in each area somebody upon whose services they have first call. Of course, they get an immense amount of voluntary work free in people's spare time, but in the case of these food officers they have the first call upon them, and can issue instructions.

Mr. Lipson

Can the right hon. Gentleman say for how long these retaining fees will be paid?

Mr. Stanley

They have been paid for a number of years.

Mr. Garro Jones

Then may it be taken that if it is necessary for the Government to have first call upon the services of anybody, high or low, he shall be paid a retaining fee pending the outbreak of an emergency?

Mr. Stanley

That is a hypothetical question. The greater part of the work is done as voluntary work, for which we are grateful, but this has, in the ordinary course of events, to take second place to a man's ordinary work.

Captain Peter Macdonald

Is not this a very small price to pay for a great service?

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