§ 36. Mr. Fordasked the Lord President of the Council why there has been a 30 per cent. drop in the number of meals per session served in the Members' Dining Room since 1964.
§ 40. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Lord President of the Council what action has been taken or it is proposed should be taken to reverse the annual fall in the number of meals served in the Members' Dining Room since 1964.
§ Mr. MaxwellI have been asked to reply.
The Catering Sub-Committee views this decline with concern and is studying its possible causes and what might be done to improve the attractiveness of Members' dining facilities.
§ Mr. FordI thank my hon. Friend for his Answer. Would he not agree that the decline in the number of meals served in the Members' Dining Room might bear some relation to the decline in the purchasing power of Members' salaries over the same period?
§ Mr. MaxwellWhile undoubtedly the rise in prices has contributed to the fall in the sale of meals in the Members' Dining Room, an additional and more serious contributory factor is that in the 1964 Parliament, when the Government had a very narrow majority, there was a considerably higher attendance and fewer pairs in the House.
§ Mr. HawkinsIs not the real cause the fall in the standard of food served?
§ Mr. MaxwellI cannot accept that. While undoubtedly there are many things which could and will be improved, the staff and management of the Department have done a considerable amount of work to turn the deficit into a profit. We hope 482 to improve the quality and variety of service to the benefit of Members and their guests.