26 Mr. Baker Whiteasked the Minister of Works (1) the average number of men housed in the Ministry of Works Hostel at Bifrons Park, near Bridge, and the average monthly delivery of coal to this hostel;
(2) if he is aware that motor coaches are being hired to take residents at the Ministry of Works Hostel at Bifrons Park, near Bridge, on visits to the Kent seaside resorts; that on the night of 1st November, 1947, motor coaches toured the public houses in Bridge to collect residents to transport them back to the hostel, a distance of ¾ mile; and what expenditure of public funds and petrol is involved per month;
(3) the value per week of the meat ration given to residents at the Ministry of Works Hostel at Bifrons Park, near Bridge, and the number of shell eggs per week allocated to each resident.
§ Mr. KeyThese Questions presumably relate to the hostel at which members of my Department's mobile labour force are accommodated. The average number of men accommodated in the hostel since it opened in July is 42; the number now there is 60, and is expected to reach about 200. Sixty-four tons of coal have been delivered to the hostel since 21st July. Members of the mobile labour force accommodated in country districts where no social amenities are available are allowed free transport not more than twice a week to a town within a radius of 20 miles from the camp or hostel. These journeys are made in the Department's vehicles which are used in transporting men daily to sites. On 1st November, only three men asked for the normal amenity run to Ramsgate and the driver in the circumstances took a number of men only so far as Bridge. The total cost of a return journey for the maximum distance is about 34s. including cost of 1581 petrol. The meat ration is on the basis of 4 5/7 d. per head per day as fixed by the Ministry of food for industrial "A" hostels, and there is the normal issue of one shell egg per head per allocation.
Mr. Baker WhiteWhile thanking the Minister for that very full answer, may I ask him whether he is aware that deliveries of coal to the hostel over recent months have been greater than the amount of coal allowed for a village of 280 households? Further, is he aware that these men have been given not one, but three shell eggs per week and that the agricultural workers in the district feel great indignation at the free transport being provided and at the men being taken on tours all over East Kent?
§ Mr. Key"Tours all over East Kent" is not a true record, as I have indicated. I am not aware that three shell eggs have been given. As I say, the allocation that has been given is one shell egg per period, and as for the coal, it has been necessary to build up the required amount of coal, in view of the greatly increased number of people intended to be accommodated in the hostel in future.
§ Mr. YorkIn view of the fact that the coal allocation for the hostel is very much greater than that allowed to the hostels of the Women's Land Army, will the Minister look into the matter again to see why it is that this type of worker is given such preferential treatment over the agricultural worker?
§ Mr. KeyI am not aware that the facts are as stated. [HON. MEMBERS: "They are."] It does not fall to me to know what is allocated to the Women's Land Army. All I can say is that there has been an anticipation of the user of this hostel for essential mobile workers for reconstruction in the area concerned.