§ 30. Mr. Oakshottasked the Minister of Food what is the number of the staff of his Department at present located at the headquarters of the Milk Marketing Board, Thames Ditton; what are their functions; and what is the weekly cost in salaries and wages.
§ Mr. WebbSixty members of the staff of my Department work at Thames Ditton. The weekly cost in salaries and wages is £716. These officers are responsible for giving effect to the Government's milk policy in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including subsidy, improvement of quality, welfare and school milk. They also arrange for the payment of guaranteed prices to producers under the Agriculture Act and determine distributive prices and margins.
§ Mr. OakshottCould not a great deal of the work be done by the existing staff of the Milk Marketing Board without extra cost to the taxpayer? Is it not a waste of money and manpower to have these people carrying out the work there?
§ Mr. WebbThe work would still require the same number of people. The point is which authority should be responsible for organising the work, and that is a rather wider question.
§ Mr. TurtonIs not this administrative work actually being carried out by the Milk Marketing Board with officials of the Ministry seeing that the work is properly done?