HC Deb 03 November 1954 vol 532 cc449-51
Dr. A. D. D. Broughton (Batley and Morley)

I beg to move, in page 24, line 8, after "establishment," to insert: place of refreshment or entertainment. As I said when speaking on a previous Amendment, the whole purpose of this Bill is to try to make Britain's food the cleanest and the most wholesome in the world. Bearing that in mind, my hon. Friends and I approve of subsection (2), to which the Amendment refers. However, we wonder whether the Minister has gone quite far enough. The first part of the subsection reads: For the purposes of this Act the supply of food for human consumption, otherwise than by sale, at, in or from any catering establishment, canteen, club, hotel, boarding house, school, hospital or institution, shall be deemed to be a sale of that food We are wondering whether, if the subsection remains as it is, the provisions contained in the Bill and in the regulations will be applicable to all places in which the public partake of food outside the home. For example, would the Clause as it now stands cover public-houses, milk bars, stationary food stalls and travelling vans? We know, of course, that there are places of entertainment where refreshment is offered to the public without any additional charge.

We do not wish that people who are guilty of the offence of supplyng dirty food should escape the penalties of the law by being able to plead that the supply of food for human consumption was otherwise than by sale. We think that this subsection would be improved by the addition of the words place of refreshment or entertainment, and that, if the Amendment were accepted, there would be a far better chance of all places in which food is partaken outside the home being covered by the Bill.

7.0 p.m.

Dr. Hill

This Clause refers to the passing of food, other than by sale, from one person to another. The list in the Clause reads: … any catering establishment, canteen, club, hotel, boarding house, school, hospital or institution … We thought that we had covered refreshment place, but to save time I promise to look at the point. While we do not want to insert unnecessary words, we do not want to omit an appropriate establishment.

Dr. Broughton

In view of the Parliamentary Secretary's promise to look at this, and as there will be a further opportunity to consider it on Report, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the Amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Dr. Hill

I beg to move, in page 25, line 25, at the end, to insert: Provided that subsection (2) of this section shall not apply to the interpretation of section fourteen of the principal Act. This Amendment seeks to remove an inconsistency. We thought that possibly the provision of ice cream by hospitals to patients might mean that those places had to be registered.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendment made: In page 25, line 27, after "drugs," insert: and in subsection (1) of section fourteen of that Act."—[Dr, Hill.]

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 30 ordered to stand part of the Bill.