HC Deb 09 February 1943 vol 386 cc1185-6W
Mr. Henderson Stewart

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport what are the latest figures showing the number of towns in Scotland with populations of 5,000 and over having no retail delivery rationalisation schemes approved by the Ministry in operation, having voluntary schemes providing at least one weekly delivery of provisions without limitation of weight, having approved schemes providing at least one weekly delivery by pooled vehicles without limitation of weight, having approved schemes providing at least one weekly delivery with restrictions as to weight and having approved schemes prohibiting all deliveries, respectively; and if he will give examples of towns coming under each of these categories?

Mr. Noel-Baker

The records which are kept of rationalisation schemes do not fall within the categories set out in my hon. Friend's Question. My officers, however, have extracted the following figures:

Number of towns in Scotland with populations of 5,000 or more—72.

Number of these towns

  1. (1) having as yet no rationalisation schemes in force—6, e.g., Kirkcaldy;
  2. (2) having rationalisation schemes which cover certain commodities only—44, e.g., Leven;
  3. (3) having schemes providing at least one weekly delivery of provisions without limitation of weight—16, e.g., Perth;
  4. (4) having approved schemes providing at least one weekly delivery with restrictions as to weight—6, e.g., Forfar.

Many of these schemes incorporate pooling arrangements, but the pools are in some cases restricted to particular commodities (e.g., drapery in Perth) and it is not possible to equate the number of pools with the number of rationalisation schemes. There are about 40 complete pooling schemes in operation in Scotland at the present time, but most of these relate to commodities other than food. In no town is there a complete ban on the retail delivery of all articles of food, but in several towns deliveries of certain commodities are prohibited within a defined radius of the main shopping centre, except in cases of hardship, e.g., Peebles.