asked the Minister of Food if he will reconsider the 2½d. per meal meat allowance to industrial canteens as compared with the civilian ration allowance of 1s. per week; and what action he proposes to take.

The meat allowances to all canteens were recently cut in common with the domestic ration. I do not propose to make any alteration in the ratio between allowances to industrial canteens and those to other establishments.

Arising out of that answer and in view of the Government's policy of fair shares for all, how am I to explain the matter to a woman who gets 1s. worth of meat a week and whose husband gets 4s.1½d. worth through his industrial canteen?

The worker in question must be in an employment which carries the category A industrial canteen ration, which means that he is in very heavy industry and is therefore entitled to it.

But his wife says that she is working a seven-day week and he is only working a five-day week. She gets 1s. worth of meat for working a seven-day week while he gets 4s. 1½d. worth for working a five-day week.

If hon. Members think that heavy workers in vital basic industries should not receive something extra in their industrial canteen, we simply cannot agree with them.

Mr. Baldwin:

Is the Minister aware that the men providing this food do not get the opportunity to use a canteen and have to be content with 1s. worth of meat a week?

They get the extra cheese and extra bread ration.

Hon. Members:

But not meat.