HC Deb 26 November 1941 vol 376 cc752-3
59. Mr. Woods

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he can give any estimate of the increased cost, additional transport and waste of material that will result when the proposals for concentrating fat melting are put into operation; and will he cause an inquiry to be made and give an opportunity to the interests concerned to give evidence before the scheme as proposed is operated?

Major Lloyd George

The concentration of the edible fat melting industry was effected on 17th November. It is designed to secure economies in transport, man power and coal, and I am satisfied that the scheme will achieve these results. Prior to the introduction of the scheme, raw fat melters were given every opportunity to present their views and I feel that no useful purpose would be served by holding a further inquiry. If members of the industry have any suggestions to make that would effect improvements in the scheme, my Department would be very pleased to consider them.

Mr. Woods

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that there is considerable dissatisfaction caused by the fact that the people he negotiated with were not really representative of the industry; and will he except any case where the scheme obviously increases expenditure on transport and involves the possibility of waste of food, restoring the licences to such places?

Major Lloyd George

Of course, we shall consider anything of that sort; as I said, the scheme is meant to save transport, and any case where the opposite would result will naturally be considered. Up to date, however, investigations have not shown that this scheme would do other than what we expect.

Major Milner

The result of the scheme so far has been to put the whole of this industry into the hands of the few people with whom he negotiated, and is not this extremely unsatisfactory to the people who are going to be put out of business?

Major Lloyd George

Any concentration scheme naturally puts somebody out of business, otherwise there would be no point in concentration. I cannot accept that this puts the industry into too few hands. The number involved before the war was 200, and it is now 60.