§ LORD WINTERBOTTOMasked Her Majesty's Government whether they will make a statement about the proposed independent inquiry into the financial control of catering in the Services.
§ LORD CARRINGTONI have appointed a small committee to carry out this inquiry. Lord Donaldson of Kings-bridge has accepted an invitation to be the Chairman of this Committee. Mr. Brian Salmon, Chairman of Messrs. J. Lyons & Co. Ltd., and Mr. Brian A. Maynard, a partner in Cooper Brothers, have agreed to serve as members.
The terms of reference of the Committee will be:
To consider, in view of the need to maintain adequate standards of messing on the one hand and avoid waste or misappropriation on the other:and to make recommendations accordingly.
- (a) the systems used by the units of the Services to assess food requirements in relation to approved scales of entitlement and
1268 issue, the calculation of the 'ration strengths' of units and any available experience of actual consumption; and - (b) means of improving control over and accounting for requirements. receipts, stocks, issues, usage and returns of food including any procurement by units etc. directly from sources other than Service and NAAFI which may be permitted;
The Committee will begin their inquiry early in the New Year.