§ 35. Mr. Websterasked the Lord President of the Council whether he has authorised special sales of wines, spirits or tobacco, in bulk, by the catering department.
§ Mr. MaxwellI have been asked to reply.
The Chairman of the Catering Sub-Committee on 27th July notified the Committee that wines and spirits would be available at special prices. These have been offered to Members, staff and the Press, and priced on the advice of the Manager in consultation with the shippers. Tobacco is not being sold at a special price.
§ Mr. WebsterIs the hon. Gentleman aware that there will be considerable resentment if it is found that these attractive offers are made not from existing stocks of the House of Commons but that the House is simply being used as an agency for an outside wine merchant?
§ Mr. MaxwellI am not aware of any resentment. On the contrary, the offer has been well received and is proving very successful.
§ 36. Mr. Websterasked the Lord President of the Council what stocks of wine are held for the purpose of the special offer of wines and spirits; and what was the cost of these stocks.
§ Mr. MaxwellI have been asked to reply.
We do not hold stocks for this purpose. The wine merchants operating the cellar stocking system took our old stock away and, in producing the special offer list for Members, have augmented these and enlarged the wine list by adding some of their own stocks.
§ Mr. WebsterIs the hon. Gentleman saying that the House of Commons is 28 being used as a mail order agency for an outside wine merchant which is a subsidiary of a very large group of brewers?
§ Mr. MaxwellI am not saying that at all. All that has happened is that the Catering Sub-Committee, looking for revenue in order to ensure that the charge on public funds is reduced, has continued the practice of providing Members, the staff and the Press with an opportunity of acquiring wines for purchase at Christmas time. As I have said to the hon. Gentleman, this is proving both popular and successful.
§ Sir D. GloverCan the hon. Gentleman explain how the Catering Sub-Committee can enter into this sort of arrangement in an organisation which does not pay rates and which is not in equal competition with people outside? Does he not realise that this is very unfair trading?
§ Mr. MaxwellWe have entered into this arrangement by authority vested in the Catering Sub-Committee of the House. I believe that it is in the interests of the House that it be continued.
§ Mr. WebsterOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of those replies, I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise this matter on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.
§ 37. Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Lord President of the Council what progress has been made in considering the suggestion that the dining facilities at the Palace of Westminster should be available to the general public when Parliament is in recess.
§ Mr. MaxwellI have been asked to reply.
Active consideration is being given to this problem. Positive steps have been already taken to enable this service to be provided, if the Services Committee approves it. It is hoped to make a further statement as soon as possible.
§ Mr. HamiltonCan my hon. Friend say whether a decision will be taken in time to provide this facility for the next Summer Recess, and can he give the House an assurance that the decision will be taken by elected Members and not by any official of the House?
§ Mr. MaxwellTo answer the first part of my hon. Friend's supplementary Question, the decision can and will be taken in time for the Summer Recess, subject to the technical facilities being available. In answer to the second part, of course, the decision will be taken by the House and by no one else.
§ Dr. WinstanleyIn addition, will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind the possibility of additional revenue being gained by providing refreshments for members of the public on Saturdays?
§ Mr. MaxwellWe will certainly look into that as a further suggestion for improving the revenue and for making available the resources of this House to the staff, Members and their guests and visitors.
§ 38. Sir Knox Cunninghamasked the Lord President of the Council whether, since the Catering Department is now out of the red, he will now arrange for a general increase in the wages of the staff.
§ Mr. MaxwellI have been asked to reply.
No. An all-round increase of 10 per cent. was awarded recently.
§ Sir Knox CunninghamDoes the hon. Member recall that the former policy was that so long as the prices were kept low there should not be any substantial increase in wages which would not be appropriate. Now that prices have soared, is there any reason why there should be a restriction on a further reasonable increase in wages for our staff?
§ Mr. MaxwellThere is no restriction on a further wage increase for our staff. As the hon. and learned Gentleman will recollect, the House has generally expressed its desire that the servants of the House be paid commensurate with the remarkable efforts that they are putting in. However, having just received an award of 10 per cent., it would be a little premature to talk about any additional awards. Furthermore, as I expect the House will note when the first report of the Catering Sub-Committee is published, it appears that we are breaking even, and we expect to be making a profit next year. I believe that we must stick to what my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked, 30 namely, that we pay bonuses only after they have been earned and not before.
§ 47. Dame Irene Wardasked the Lord President of the Council whether lie is aware of the deterioration of the quality of food in the Members' Tea Room; and whether he will give an assurance that future expenditure will be used to maintain food standards rather than on furniture and decoration.
§ Mr. MaxwellI have been asked to reply.
I have no knowledge that the food has deteriorated in the Members' Tea Room. Since the installation of the new equipment, I understand that it has considerably improved.
§ Dame Irene WardIs the hon. Gentleman aware, just as an example, that now it is not possible to get any decent plain biscuits—only nasty cheap sugary ones, like the Prime Minister's Questions and Answers?
§ Mr. MaxwellI would not wish to engage in any polemics with the hon. Lady. If she has any complaints about the biscuits, perhaps she would put in a recommendation and the Manager will look at it.