§ Mr. S. Marshallasked the Minister of Food-the number of staff in the enforcement department; what is the average number of investigations made each week; and who gives instructions for prosecutions.
§ Sir B. SmithThe number of staff of my Department in both headquarters and provincial offices engaged on the enforcement of Statutory Rules and Orders is 948. As regards the second part of the Question, inspectors are not restricted to particular inquiries and statistics are not, therefore, kept of the actual number of investigations made. As regards the third part of the Question, instructions to prosecute are given by Food Control Committees, Divisional Food Officers and Senior Officers of Enforcement Division at headquarters, apart from Scotland when the Crown Office is responsible.