Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies. – in the House of Commons at on 28 May 1941.
Mr Ellis Smith
, Stoke-on-Trent Stoke
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will give a list of local authorities who have not prepared communal feeding centres; and what action is taken with these authorities, in view of the proved need for these centres in areas that have suffered through air-raids?
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (Major Lloyd George):
There are approximately 1,700 local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland. Many of these authorities represent rural areas with widely scattered populations where it is not necessary to provide British Restaurants. I am making available in the Library of the House lists of places for which plans have already been approved or are in the course of preparation. There may be other places in the latter category of which I have not yet been advised by the local authority concerned. In reply to the last part of the Question, each divisional food officer has on his staff an officer who is specially charged with the duty of encouraging and assisting in the establishment of British Restaurants. These officers make personal contact with the local authorities in their Division and give them all possible assistance in the matter.
Mr Ellis Smith
, Stoke-on-Trent Stoke
I have had experience which shows the necessity for developments of that kind. Can the hon. and gallant Gentleman inform the House what steps are taken to deal with local authorities which do not carry out the instructions and advice of the Ministry?
Mr Daniel Lipson
, Cheltenham
Has not the Ministry power to set up these British Restaurants where the local authority fails to do so?
See "placed in the library".
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
