§ 61. Mr. Lipsonasked the Minister of Food if some concession by way of an additional ration can be made to persons who live alone and who are suffering hardship now that practically everything has been up-pointed.
§ Mr. StracheyI fully appreciate the difficulties of people living alone, but I am afraid that it would not be possible to vary the amount of the rations according to the size or circumstances of the household.
§ Mr. LipsonCannot some arrangement be made through local food offices to help people who are living alone to secure additional supplies?
§ Mr. StracheyI realise that this is a very real problem. The difficulty is one of definition because an individual is living alone at one time and not at another. [Laughter.] We ought not to 1161 joke on this subject because it is serious. It is very difficult, from an administrative point of view, to pick out an individual and say that he is living alone. Circumstances vary from time to time and in degree, but I should be very grateful if the hon. Member can make any workable suggestions on the matter.