§ 60. Mr. Hammersleyasked the Minister of Food whether his attention has been drawn to the loss of over £1,500 during the six months ended 30th September, 1944, by the Willesden British Restaurants; who pays for the loss; what steps are taken to ensure reasonably efficient management; and whether there will be an inquiry.
§ Colonel LlewellinThe answer to the first part of the question is "Yes, Sir," but this loss was incurred after providing £1,687 for amortisation of capital expenditure; the second part of the question does not, therefore, arise at present; to the third part, my Department has always suggested steps which may avoid any ultimate loss, and to the fourth part, "No, Sir."
§ Mr. HammersleyCan the House take it that the policy of my right hon. and gallant Friend is that subsidies to British Restaurants from the rates are undesirable, and that, when it is found necessary when subsidies have been given, there will be some inquiry and some control from his Department?
§ Colonel LlewellinThe policy of the Department is to encourage British Restaurants wherever there is a consumer need for them. If it is obvious that the consumer need has dropped away, there is no point in running a British Restaurant which does not pay.
§ Mr. Evelyn WalkdenIs it not true in spite of those cases reported in the Press of losses on British Restaurants, that on the production and sale of meals, most local authorities by their efficiency have actually made a profit?
§ Colonel LlewellinIf you take British Restaurants over the country as a whole, they show a net profit and not a loss.