§ 5. Mr. Liptonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many local authorities in England and Wales have now nominated local food officers to supervise food control organisation in the event of war.
§ Mr. John HareSix hundred and twenty-nine local authorities in England and Wales have submitted nominations for local food officers. In some cases local authorities have combined to form joint food control areas, and the number of nominations received is 541.
§ Mr. LiptonIs not 541 out of 1469 local authorities a poor response to the Government's circulars of March and November of last year? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the response would have been much better if he had not instructed local authorities to keep these circulars secret from the Press and the public? Would it have been dangerous to let the public know about these precautions to be taken in the event of war?
§ Mr. HareNo. The hon. Member is exaggerating. This is a very reasonable response. We are receiving, and shall continue to receive, nominations from local authorities. The correspondence was classified as restricted because at this stage it is a matter purely between local authorities and the Government. There is nothing mysterious about it.
§ Mr. EMr.ys HughesIs the Minister aware that in one of the defence debates we were told that in the event of war the country would be knocked out and broken-backed? What would the food officers be able to do after a fortnight of that kind of war?
§ Mr. HareFor my part, I intend to see that there is an effective organisation available should the tragic and terrible possibility of war occur.