§ 47. Lieut.-Colonel Marloweasked the Prime Minister whether he has considered the resolution sent to him by the council of the county borough of Brighton urging the necessity for appointing a single Minister to co-ordinate the functions of the numerous Government Departments concerned with the restoration and rehabilitation of seaside resorts; and whether, having regard to the manifold difficulties being encountered on account of conflicting decisions by the Departments concerned, he will now give effect to that resolution.
§ The Prime MinisterThe answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative and to the second in the negative. I do not propose to appoint a new Minister. In case it may be difficult for Members of the House or of the public to know exactly to which Minister or Department to put a question on this subject, I have arranged with my Noble Friend the Minister of Reconstruction that anyone in such a difficulty shall address himself to him and he will assign to the Minister concerned the duty of dealing with the matter.
§ Lieut.-Colonel MarloweWould the Prime Minister say whether Lord Woolton will have the power to make each of the various Departments work in conjunction, having regard to the fact that if you want to get a hotel restarted now, after getting it de-requisitioned by the Service Department, it is necessary to approach the Minister of Labour, the President of the Board of Trade, and the Minister of Food for various permits, and each Department makes its agreement contingent upon the other, so that no progress is made?
§ The Prime MinisterWhile not accepting this description of the workings of a Government characterised by singular efficiency down to the smallest details in every branch, I do not think I will, this afternoon, go further than to advise the persons concerned to write to Lord Woolton.