§ 52. Mr. Keelingasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he anticipates that the calory value of rations in Austria will fall below that of the 1304 German rations when U.N.R.R.A. ceases, on 31st December, to be responsible for supplies to Austria.
§ Mr. J. HyndAs I indicated to the hon. Member on Thursday last, we have no direct responsibility for ration scales in Austria. It is, therefore, not possible for me to forecast what those scales will be next year. We are, however, anxious that they shall not be less than those in Germany and to this end we are in constant touch with all the interested parties.
§ Mr. KeelingCan the Minister confirm or deny that the rations in the British zone in Austria are already below those of the British zone in Germany; and secondly, would not he agree that we are just as much morally responsible for feeding the British zone in Austria as for feeding the British zone in Germany?
§ Mr. HyndThe answer to the first part of the question is that it is the case, of course, at the present time that the ration scales in the British zone and the rest of Austria are lower than the official ration scales in Germany.
§ Mr. KeelingWhy "of course"?
§ Mr. HyndBecause it is a fact. The answer to the latter part of the question is, that as I pointed out in a previous reply, responsibility for the supply of food and other materials to Austria was taken over by U.N.R.R.A. some time ago, and U.N.R.R.A. has direct responsibility up to the end of this year for these provisions to Austria. The Austrian Government will then have the responsibility for deciding what ration scales shall be issued at any particular time.
§ Mr. Godfrey NicholsonI hope I am not doing the hon. Gentleman an injustice, but is he aware that he has given the impression he is trying to wash his hands of all responsibility, and although that may legally be the case, it will not meet with the approval of the country?
§ Mr. HyndI hope I have not given the impression that we have no moral responsibility. What I am reciting are the facts of the case. We are trying to impress upon the Austrian Government and the U.N.R.R.A. authorities the necessity of putting the rations up immediately and of making the necessary provisions to ensure that improved ration scales are maintained until the end of the year, and beyond.
§ 54. Mr. Warbeyasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on what date the last U.N.R.R.A. supplies are expected to arrive in Austria; what was the total value of the programmed U.N.R.R.A. supplies for Austria; and how much of this programme will have been realised when U.N.R.R.A. relief activities in Austria come to an end.
§ Mr. J. HyndMy latest information from U.N.R.R.A. is that the administration is seeking to complete shipments to Austria by March, 1947, but it is quite possible that some supplies will have to be shipped through April and May; arrivals may therefore continue into June. The total value of the programme of U.N.R.R.A. supplies for Austria is £29.1 million. It is the administration's policy to complete delivery of all supplies in the programme.
§ Mr. WarbeyIs my hon. Friend aware that it is widely felt in Austria that the last U.N.R.R.A. shipments will, in fact, arrive before the end of this year, and that there will be no U.N.R.R.A. supplies coming into Austria during the main months of the winter? If that is not the case, will the hon. Gentleman do his best to see that the Austrian people are more correctly informed?
§ Mr. HyndI hope the answer I have given will dispel these impressions. Certainly, I will take steps to see that publicity is given to the facts.
§ Viscount HinchingbrookeIs it not the case that the activities of U.N.R.R.A. will be terminated at the end of this year, and if so, how will it be possible to have shipments in April?
§ Mr. HyndThe shipments will be in completion of the U.N.R.R.A. programme. Officially it will terminate at the end of the year, but necessarily programmes that have been undertaken will be completed and will extend into the period beyond December.
§ 55. Mr. Kenneth Lindsayasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking in his advisory capacity to prevent the calory value of rations in Vienna falling during the corning winter; what number of calories oil-workers in the Soviet zone are receiving; and whether personnel in the U.S. zone have recently obtained an increase to their scale.
§ Mr. J. HyndConsultations are being held with all interested parties in an endeavour to ensure that the calory value of the ration in Vienna and the rest of Austria will be maintained through the coming winter. Oil workers in the Soviet zone receive the same official ration as other Austrian workers—2,700 calories per day for heavy workers and 1,850 calories per day for other workers. Workers in factories under Soviet control are permitted to purchase extra food over and above this ration but I have no information as to the amounts purchased in this way. There has been no recent general increase in rations in the U.S. zone, although some Austrian provincial authorities have permitted supplementary rations in excess of the scale laid down by the Austrian Government.
§ Mr. LindsayAre the extra rations in the Soviet zone, which we were assured were 5,000 calories for heavy workers, in accordance with the Quadripartite Agreement?
§ Mr. HyndThe figures are those which I have quoted—2,700 calories for heavy workers, and 1,850 for other workers. The fact that other foods can be purchased off the ration does not affect that official position.