HC Deb 16 October 1973 vol 861 cc8-9W
Mr. Marten

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to see that butter vouchers are not being sold; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Dean

The Butter Subsidy Regulations provide that butter tokens may be used only by, or on behalf of, people entitled to them, and only for buying butter. All beneficiaries are made aware of this. The regulations also empower the Secretary of State to recover from the person concerned the value of any tokens which are misused.

Mr. Kaufman

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available statistics, in absolute figures and as a proportion of those eligible, for the takeup of butter tokens in, respectively, the country as a whole and the city of Manchester.

Mr. Dean

Following are the number of butter tokens submitted by retailers since the scheme began and the proportion they represent of the available tokens in Great Britain:

July 543,000 6 per cent.
August 4,209,000 45 per cent.
September 5,289,000 56 per cent.
These figures do not include tokens issued for the months in question but not yet used—each token is valid for two months—or not yet returned to the Department by retailers. Corresponding figures for the city of Manchester are not available as retailers' catchment areas cannot be identified.