§ Sir R. Gowerasked the Minister of Food over what period 347 British Restaurants have sustained a loss of £175,000; how much of this loss has been borne by the Treasury and local authorities, respectively; and whether in the current year the Treasury has met or is meeting any losses and to what amount.
§ Colonel LlewellinThe aggregate loss of £175,000 referred to in the Question was sustained in 1942£3 by 347 local authorities operating British Restaurants. For the same year, 351 other local authorities made aggregate profits of £273,000. In both cases the amount has been arrived at after providing for amortisation of capital expenditure. Up to 30th November, 1944, the total amount paid to local authorities out of the Exchequer on account of losses incurred on British Restaurants and Cooking Depots from the inception of the scheme was £31,019. No amount has so far been paid in respect of losses incurred in the current financial year. Losses are reimbursed by the Ministry of Food only to the extent that they can be regarded as unavoidably incurred; payments by a local authority to the Ministry in respect of amortisation of capital expenditure are, however, postponed if that local authority sustains a loss.