§ 39. Mr. Evelyn Walkdenasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he is aware that conveyances are being used daily to transport swill from West End hotels to Essex, Surrey, Kent and Hertfordshire; and, in view of the fact that the Westminster Borough Council has installed a food concentration plant at the request of, and subsidised by, the Government and that this is not being used to full capacity, will he take steps to stop this transport?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerThe concentrator plant provided by the City of Westminster, which is used for processing domestic swill collected within the City and several adjoining Boroughs is now working to its full capacity. Road transport is being used to carry swill from West End hotels to Essex, Surrey, Kent and Hertfordshire under licences granted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and, in view of the highly perishable nature of swill I think it is desirable that these movements should go on.
§ Mr. WalkdenIs my hon. Friend aware that the Westminster concentrator plant is only working to capacity because Fulham, Battersea, Chelsea and other neighbouring boroughs have been added to it? Is it true that the Westminster concentrator plant was actually constructed to cover the West End, that they have continued to receive petrol supply to the extent of 1,000 tons a month transferred from these respective councils, and that it means a waste of fuel?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIf my hon. Friend can show me that there is a waste of road transport, I will look into it.