HC Deb 20 March 1941 vol 370 cc289-90
56. Mr. Evelyn Walkden

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that, on 14th March, an employer in Balham High Road, who has a catering licence for over 50 workpeople, requested the borough Council of Wandsworth to collect from his canteen kitchen waste up to 10 cwts. per month, but was informed by an official of the corporation that their salvage arrangements did not include the collection of kitchen waste; that housewives and women's organisations in Wandsworth are now urging the corporation to organise a general collecting scheme to cover each district in the borough; and whether he will take immediate action to implement this insistent demand?

The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply (Mr. Harold Macmillan)

I have made inquiries, but I am informed that the Wandsworth Borough Council cannot trace having received any request to collect kitchen waste from the canteen to which the hon. Member refers. If such a request had been received, the applicant would have been put in touch immediately with a waste food contractor. The Salvage Department of the Ministry of Supply is in communication with the Wandsworth Borough Council in regard to the collection of kitchen waste and the provision of plant for the processing of this material for pig and poultry feeding.

Mr. Walkden

Is the Minister aware that in the Borough of Wandsworth there are miles and miles of streets and thousands of houses where no attempt whatever is is being made as yet to collect kitchen waste, and that kitchen waste is even today being deposited in dustbins or burned in kitchen fires?

Mr. Macmillan

We are arranging for the erection of a processing plant for this material in this borough.