§ 45. Mr. H. Hyndasked the hon. Member for Holland-with-Boston, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, how 8W many vending machines have been installed by his Committee; what purpose they are intended to serve; and whether he proposes to extend this service.
§ Sir H. ButcherAt present the four vending machines installed outside the Strangers' Cafeteria are on an experimental basis. The machines sell tea, coffee and soup, and also confectionery and cigarettes.
The Committee is conscious of its duty to provide refreshments for hon. Members and others as may be required, and in the event of the House sitting after its normal hour of rising, it is felt that these machines will go a long way to preventing a breakdown of service and at the same time will relieve the staff on duty at such hours of some of the pressure upon them which has at times been almost intolerable.
At other times it is hoped that they will serve to speed up the service in the Strangers' Cafeteria and elsewhere.
As I said, these machines are experimental and it would be premature to make any forecasts of the future extension of this kind of service.