HC Deb 16 October 1973 vol 861 cc5-6W
Mr. Judd

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the report of the Donaldson Committee of Inquiry into the financial control of catering for the Armed Services.

Mr. Ian Gilmour

The report of the Donaldson Committee was published on 29th August, 1973. The Government welcome the report and are most grateful to Lord Donaldson and his colleagues for the careful consideration they gave to it and for their hard work. All the recommendations in the report have been accepted in principle with the exception of those in paragraphs 121, 123 and 125, whose implementation would require additional manpower and which are still being studied. The main recommendation in the report that food supplies for the Services should normally be obtained from Service or NAAFI sources has been accepted and will be put into effect. We are examining how to overcome the practical difficulties, which the committee recognised, in order to adjust the prices of NAAFI messing items on the lines suggested by the committee. The new system will naturally be kept under review.