HC Deb 25 March 1942 vol 378 cc2007-8W
Mr. Brooke

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware of the discontent caused by a widespread belief that people who can afford meals at expensive hotels or restaurants can obtain rationed foods without limit, thereby reducing the amount of these foods available for everyone else; and whether he will prohibit the serving of eggs or rationed meat in meals costing over a certain price, as no other measure or statement will suffice to remove this belief?

Major Lloyd George

There is no ground for any belief such as is referred to by my hon. Friend. Hotels and restaurants like other commercial catering establishments obtain supplies of rationed foods on a strictly limited basis. The total quantity of rationed food consumed in such hotels and restaurants is too small to have any effect on the domestic ration of meat or any other commodity. Restaurants obtain no supply of shell eggs, and hotels obtain these only on the basis of the number of residents. I see no reason to prohibit tie service of eggs and rationed meat in the manner suggested by my hon. Friend.