§ Mr. BOTTOMLEYasked the Food Controller whether he is aware that in No. 11 Sussex Area the officials of the live stock and frozen meat department consist of a live stock commissioner at a salary of £800 a year and expenses, the chairman of auctioneers at a salary of £500 a year and expenses, a deputy chairman of auctioneers who is paid by commission, a supervisor of grading at a salary of £400 a year and expenses, a deputy meat agent at a salary of £250 a year and expenses subordinate to an area meat agent at a salary of £600 a year, in addition to a grading committee; and whether he will make inquiry to ascertain whether the staff can be materially reduced without detriment to the public service?
§ Mr. McCURDYThe salaries are as stated by the hon. Member, with the exception of that of the area meat agent, who receives £500 a year. I would, however, point out that Area No. 11, to which the hon. Member refers, includes not only Sussex but Kent and Surrey and the whole of the Metropolitan police district; and that the live stock commissioner for this area is supervising commissioner for Area No. 10, which covers the counties of Middlesex, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex; and is also chairman of the London and Home Counties Meat Distribution Committee, responsible for the distribution of meat in Areas 9, 10, 11 and 12, which cover sixteen counties. Further, the area meat agent for Area 11 also holds the same position in Area 10, and is supervisor of the Government slaughterhouses in both areas. I may add that the staff of the Ministry of Food, both at headquarters 609W and in the provinces, has already been substantially reduced, arid that the possibility of further reductions is continually under review.