§ 35. Mr. Draysonasked the Minister of Food if, in view of the fact that bread and other rationing is to continue for some time, he will arrange for food-office facilities to be available at High Bentham.
§ Mr. StracheyI am sorry that I cannot undertake to open a sub-food office at High Bentham. To do so in the case of these smaller communities must lead to a quite unjustifiable increase in staff and expense.
§ Mr. DraysonIs the Minister aware that this town is the centre of a large agricultural area, and that the continued absence of a food office there entails numerous visits to a neighbouring town, which causes great inconvenience to those in the locality?
§ Mr. StracheyI am very willing to look into this individual case if the hon. Member will put it to me, but we must try to limit the number of food offices and sub-food offices which we set up.
§ 39. Mr. Niall Macphersonasked the Minister of Food in view of the fact that there is no immediate prospect of the removal of bread rationing, if he will now consider the introduction of mobile food sub-offices, so that small burghs in rural counties may be visited one day a week, with a view to the exchange of bread rationing coupons and issue of emergency food cards, etc.
§ Mr. StracheyI regret that it is not possible to set up large numbers of sub-food offices, whether mobile or otherwise.
§ Mr. MacphersonIs the Minister aware that some employees of food offices have lately been released, and where that is so, and where there is a wide distribution area, could he not employ these people in order to establish mobile food sub-offices?
§ Mr. StracheyI am very willing to consider the suggestion, but I must again issue a warning that I do not think we must further extend very considerably a network of food offices in the country without careful consideration.
§ Sir W. SmithersSack the lot.