§ 47. Brigadier Mackesonasked the Minister of Food what increase or decrease in the number of persons employed in administering the rationing of food has taken place since 1st August, 1945.
§ Mr. Strachey:The majority of the staff of my Department is concerned directly or indirectly with administering the rationing of food, either at the import, wholesale, retail or consumer level. The total increase of staff on 1st June, 1946, compared with the 1st August, 1945, was 10,590 but this increase includes the large number of extra staff who are engaged temporarily for ration book distribution in June. If 1st June, 1945, is taken for purposes of comparison the increase was 3,561.