§ 38. Mr. Manuelasked the Minister of Food the estimated financial saving per year if food rationing were abolished.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeIt is impracticable to isolate the cost of rationing from trading services, price controls and subsidies administered by my Department. The annual cost of local food control is estimated at about £9 million.
§ Mr. ManuelIs the Minister aware that this saving, if he brought it about, would not be commensurate with the hardship involved in the lower income groups in the country, and will he ask the Chancellor to try to stop the cost of living going up any further, and really do something to justify the confidence which this House reposes in him as Minister of Food?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI am not sure what the hon. Gentleman is talking about because in his Question he says something about abolishing food rationing, and I have never made any suggestion about that from this Box.