§ Commander BELLAIRSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he will state the reason of the treatment of the coastguard men of the Royal Navy who were classed as non-workers with three coupons for meat a week, subsequently increased to two coupons for meat plus three coupons for bacon per week, compared to soldiers and the rest of the Navy, who get 3½lbs. of meat a week, and the women of the Women Royal Naval Service in the coastguard, who get 2 lbs. 8 ozs. of meat a week; whether he is aware that, in many cases, the coastguard and soldiers are working side by side, and that the coastguard is a disciplined naval force with hard war work to do; whether the reduced allowance for coastguard men has ever had the approval of the Board of Admiralty; and whether he can now see his way to revise it?
§ Mr. CLYNESSailors and soldiers (including members of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and Women's Royal Naval Service) who receive rations in kind from the naval or military authorities are outside the scope of the Food Controller's Regulations. Sailors (including coastguardmen) and soldiers who do not receive 375W rations in kind receive the highest ration allowed to civilian workers, namely, six coupons weekly, which at present coupon values represent 1s. worth of butcher's meat plus 32 ozs. of bacon. There is not, and has not been, any differentiation between the coastguardmen and sailors and soldiers who are in the same position of not drawing rations in kind. The Food Controller has intimated to the Admiralty that he cannot agree to such differentiation.