Written Answers To Questions
Release And Resettlement
asked the Minister of Labour whether naval auxiliary personnel under T124 and other agreements are included in the Government scheme of release by group numbers.
Yes, Sir.
War Damage Act (Private Chattels)
asked the President of the Board of Trade why applications from fully insured bombed-out homeless people are required by His Majesty's Customs and Excise to undergo an examination of their means before an adequate advance can be obtained to start a new home.
The normal time for payment of claims under the Private Chattels Scheme, as provided by Section 85 of the War Damage Act, is to be specified in regulations to be made by the Treasury, and earlier payment can be made only if the claim is small (not more than £25 in the case of private chattels), or if the Board of Trade are satisfied either that the repair or replacement of the goods destroyed or damaged is expedient in the public interest or that it is expedient that the payment, or that part thereof, should be made to avoid undue hardship. Applications for early payment are dealt with by the Customs and Excise, acting on behalf of the Board of Trade, and it is their duty to make inquiries to establish whether the statutory conditions for early payment are fulfilled. The officers concerned are instructed to treat applicants sympathetically.
Food Supplies
British Restaurants, Belfast
asked the Minister of Food the reason for the losses incurred in
| Column 1. | Column 2. | |||||||
| s. | d. | s. | d. | |||||
| Bread | … | … | … | … | 9per 4lb. | 1 | 1 per 4 lb. | |
| Flour | … | … | … | … | 1 | 3per 6 lb. | 1 | 9¼per 6 lb. |
| Oatmeal | … | … | … | … | 3½per lb. | 5 per lb, | ||
| Meat (home killed) | … | … | … | … | 1 | 0¾ per lb. | 1 | 4½ per lb. |
| Potatoes | … | … | … | … | 7 per 7 lb. | 10¾ per 7 lb. | ||
| Eggs | … | … | … | … | 2 | 0 per doz. (large) | 3 | 6¼ per doz. (large) |
| Eggs | … | … | … | … | 1 | 9 per doz. (small) | 3 | 3¼ per doz. (small) |
| Sugar (domestic) | … | … | … | … | 4 per lb. | 6 per lb. | ||
| Milk | … | … | … | … | 9 per quart | 10 per quart | ||
| Cheese | … | … | … | … | 1 | 1 per lb. | 1 | 4 per lb. |
| Bacon | … | … | … | … | 1 | 10½ per lb. | 1 | 11 per lb. |
| Tea | … | … | … | … | 2 | 10 per lb. | 3 | 0 per lb. |
operating the British Restaurant undertaking at Belfast, against which the sum of £5,000 has been reimbursed; the total amount of such losses; and the financial results of the undertaking up to the latest convenient date.
The losses to which my hon. Friend refers were incurred during the financial year ending 31st March, 1942, in providing emergency meals after heavy air raids on Belfast, and they amounted for the year to £6,335. During the financial years 1942–43 and 1943–44 the Belfast British Restaurant undertaking, after providing £3,609 for the amortisation of capital expenditure, made a profit of £3,345.
Subsidised Foods
asked the Minister of Food if he will provide a table showing the present retail price of those foods which are assisted by Government subsidies, showing in each case what the retail price of each item would be but for the subsidy.
The following table shows in Column 1the present retail prices, as ascertained for the computation of the Cost-of-Living Index, of the principal subsidised foodstuffs, and in Column 2 the estimated retail price of each item if the amount of the subsidy were to be provided by an increase of price: