§ Mr. Walkdenasked the Minister of Food (1) if he will consider the urgent needs of the new housing estates at Balby and Wheatley in the Doncaster area to obtain additional supplies of fish and chips; whether he is aware that fish and chip shops are locally regarded as essential to normal family life; and if he will give instructions for extra supplies of cooking oils and fats to be made available to the local purveyors of fish and chips;
(2) if he will consider adopting for the allocation of additional fish and chip shop facilities, a scale no less generous than that used at the local Brewsters Sessions for the allocation of new licences for the sale of beer, wines and spirits; whether he is satisfied that the present routine review of consumer needs for the allocation of cooking oils and fats to existing fish and chip shops keeps pace with the transfer of local residents to neighbouring new housing estates; and on what basis local computations of consumer needs are made.
§ Mr. StracheyAs I stated in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Barrowin-Furness (Mr. Monslow) on 20th September, I am prepared to issue fish frying licences freely for the present to any applicant who fulfils qualifications to show that his application is made in good faith. I hope that there will be sufficient applicants trading from either mobile vans or fixed premises to serve the needs of new housing estates.