§ Sir M. Sueterasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been drawn to the complaint by the Hertford Rural Council that his Department has not honoured a promise to take the profit and pay the losses of the British Restaurant opened in October, 1941, at Hertford Heath; whether he is aware that the rural council have been trying for four months to get a decision from his Ministry; and what is the reason for this delay?
§ Mr. MabaneThere have been correspondence and interviews during the past four months between representatives of my Department and the clerk to the Hertford rural district council on the question of the financial position of the Little Amwell British Restaurant. I am informed however that the council has only recently raised the question of my Department's undertaking with regard to profits and losses. It has not yet submitted a statement of accounts in respect of the British Restaurant in question for the period since 31st December, 1941. The position is that British Restaurants should be conducted on a fully self-supporting basis, provision being made in the prices charged for meals for overhead expenses including amortisation of capital expenditure and a small margin for contingencies. Provided that these conditions are observed my Department, appreciating that unforeseen circumstances may arise in an undertaking of this nature, will be prepared to reimburse any approved operat-528W ing deficiencies in the event of a loss being unavoidably incurred. Any profits will be at the disposal of my Department. I can assure my hon. and gallant Frnend that this undertaking will be honoured by my Department.