§ 54. Mr. Vaughan-Morganasked the Minister of Food whether he will extend the entitlement to the extra cheese ration now allowed to agricultural workers to cover those employers who also do manual farm work.
§ Mr. WebbNo, Sir. Working farmers can usually get home or make other arrangements for a meal during working hours.
§ Colonel Gomme-DuncanIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that he has misrepresented-1 feel sure, unintentionally—the situation, because if these men are working out in the fields with their employees it is no easier for them to get home than it is for their employees? Therefore, why should they not have the same ration?
§ Mr. WebbWe just cannot go on extending these extra classes of entitlement to rationed foods, and I am satisfied on the whole that the system which we are now working is the best possible system.
§ Mr. David RentonDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that his system means that if an agricultural worker wishes to ascend the ladder by becoming a smallholder and his own master, he will 1692 get less to eat? is this not a serious discouragement to the Government's policy of encouraging agricultural smallholdings?
§ Captain CrookshankDoes not the right hon. Gentleman know that it is the policy of his colleague the Minister of Agriculture to encourage people to do that by the smallholdings movement?