§ 41. Sir Ian Fraserasked the Minister of Food if he will reconsider the close-down of Barrow-in-Furness and district food office, in view of the great size of the Furness district and the administrative inconvenience of dealing with Preston.
§ Mr. WebbWe are not closing this food office, and it will continue to deal with traders and the public. Certain administrative work has been transferred to Preston in order to save staff and money, but the food executive officer there will still be in constant touch with the food control committees in the Furness district, whose help on local problems is most important to us.
§ Sir I. FraserWill the right hon. Gentleman give the local food officer who is to remain very full powers, because Ulverston and Grange, as the right hon. Gentleman knows from his knowledge of the district, are as far away from Preston as if they were in another county?
§ Mr. WebbI know the difficulties. I have looked into this very carefully in view of my knowledge of the geography. But we really have to cut down the costs of our public administration, as I think Members opposite will agree, and this concentration scheme has been carried out, on the whole, successfully. It has involved difficulties of this kind, but I am satisfied that this local settlement is, on balance, fair to both parties.