HC Deb 10 July 1946 vol 425 cc390-1
59. Mr. Driberg

asked the Minister of Food approximately what percentage of building trade workers are provided with canteen facilities or packed meals, or are employed in areas where there are suitable catering facilities; and if he will reconsider sympathetically, in consultation with the Advisory Committee of the T.U.C., the difficulties of the minority of these workers, mainly in remote rural areas, who have no such facilities and who are working too far from home to return home for the mid-day meal.

Mr. Strachey

I am afraid the figures for which my hon. Friend asks are not available. Where building workers have no facilities for a mid-day meal, my divisional food officers and the Ministry of Labour will, however, be glad to advise the employers about establishing a packed meat service. I have just approached the advisory committee of the T.U.C. to see whether something more cannot be done for this category of workers.

Mr. Driberg

Does that apply to quite small employers in rural areas as well?

Mr. Strachey

Yes, it is just in respect of those small employers in rural areas where the difficulty arises, I agree, and where the establishment of a packed meal service may be practicable. I know myself of cases of great difficulty there and I would very much like to find a way of dealing with it.

Mr. Charles Smith

Will my right hon. Friend look into the possibility of using mobile canteens?

Mr. Strachey

We have looked into that possibility, but unfortunately all the mobile canteens have been used up on other purposes at the moment.

Major Legge-Bourke

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider increasing the rations for children who have to attend schools far from home, which do not serve lunches?

Mr. Strachey

I very much doubt whether it would be possible to discriminate in rationing between children, other than by age group, but I will certainly consider any point raised.

Mr. Orr-Ewing

As the Minister is proposing to make special arrangements for these workers in the building trade in rural areas, might I ask him not to forget that they do not suffer anything like the same difficulty as do agricultural workers who live there?

Mr. Strachey

In this respect the agricultural worker does get the extra cheese ration, and will get an extra bread ration.