HC Deb 14 May 1952 vol 500 cc1407-9
1 and 2. Mr. Leslie Hale

asked the Minister of Food (1) by what means it is intended, now that arrangements for advertising in the local papers have been cancelled by his Department, to give adequate information of changes in the ration system and of dates for changing of ration books to the inhabitants of the county borough of Oldham;

(2) whether he is aware of the great difficulty which has been occasioned in Oldham by the failure of a large number of people to change their ration documents at the end of the current rationing period: and what steps he proposes to take.

The Minister of Food (Major Lloyd George)

With permission, I will answer Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.

Mr. Hale

I am not prepared to give permission, and I do not think the House should give permission for both Questions to be answered together. They raise important points, and I am sure that this is merely an attempt to limit the total number of supplementary questions that can be asked.

Mr. Speaker

The number of supplementary questions permitted rests with the Chair. If the hon. Member insists, he will probably get the same answer repeated twice.

Major Lloyd George

Advertisements about the distribution of new ration books appeared in over 1,000 local newspapers. The Oldham newspaper was not used for the reason already explained to the hon. Member in reply to his letter. Posters were liberally displayed and few people in Oldham have still to get their new ration books.

Mr. Hale

Is the Minister failing to tell the House what that reason is because he is ashamed of it? Is it not a fact that an attempt was made, by the use of dictatorial and monopolistic powers, to force down the normal rates charged by this well-known and old-established Liberal newspaper? Is it not a fact that both the Chadderton and Oldham food committees have unanimously protested against the chaos caused by the lack of information? Is it not a fact that 39,000 ration books remained un-issued—[HON. MEMBERS: "Speech."] I am trying to put one supplementary question relating to two Questions. Is it not a fact that 39,000 ration books remained un-issued until a few days ago, and then the Ministry had to use local cinemas and poster advertising and spend twice as much money to put things right?

Major Lloyd George

I am glad that the hon. Member has asked that supplementary question to give me an opportunity to clear up what is apparently a complete misapprehension. The reason why we did not advertise in this particular paper, the "Oldham Press," was that out of more than 1,000 newspapers in which we wished to advertise the ration book issue all except five accepted the lower rate, and only five papers, of which four were in Oldham, refused to accept the lower rate. It would have cost the country another £15,000. We did it by poster, and the result is that the percentage of people who have drawn their ration books is exactly the same as in the rest of the country.

Mr. Hale

Is the Minister aware that his Department has apparently not yet found out that the rates that were asked were for four papers, not for one—for circulation in four papers? Was this matter referred to any of the appropriate tribunals, or did the Minister use his monopolistic powers to try to force these papers to agree to the lower rates?

Major Lloyd George

Every paper in the country except five accepted the display rate of 10s., as against the 18s. demanded by these other papers.

Mr. Michael Foot

Can the Minister explain whether, when this dispute arose, any attempt was made to get any form of mediation, or were the newspapers told that they had to accept the rate according to the Ministry of Food's wishes? Is there not a danger of this kind of confusion and difficulty among the public occurring if any other newspaper in any other area refuses to accept the dictate of the Ministry of Food?

Major Lloyd George

There is no question of dictating terms at all. Out of 1,030 newspapers in Britain only five refused the rates which the others accepted. It is surely obvious that every opportunity to accept the rates was given to those papers. The reason why posters were used was that there had been similar trouble last year.