MINISTRY OF SUPPLY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 May 1939, Page 9

MINISTRY OF SUPPLY

TEXT OF BRITISH BILL ISSUED WIDE POWERS OF CONTROL. PRIORITY OF GOVERNMENT ORDERS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 25. The text of a Bill jfor the establishing of a Ministry of Supply was issued tonight. The Bill gives general powers in connection with the supply of any articles required for public service, but the Minister of Supply is only to exercise the powers regarding supply to any other Government department if that department’s supply powers in respect of the articles required have been transferred to the Minister. Power is also given the Minister to finance an accumulation of reserves by traders if that is considered the most economic and effective way to secure the carrying out of the defence programme or, in an emergency, the maintenance of essential civil industries. Power is given to call for returns of stocks and articles required for public service, and the following temporary powers are provided —to secure priority for the execution of Government orders, to requisition output if exercise of the power of securing priority does not achieve the end desired, to require available storage to be placed at the disposal of the Minister, to examine records of contractors and to fix prices in the case of difficulty occurring as between consumer and trader on one hand and a Government department.on .he other, and to require the protection jf essential plant. It is made clear in an accompanying memorandum that the reserve powers under the Bill are in no way intended to apply to the compulsion of labour. It is not intended that the Ministry should at present deal with more than the supply problems of the War Office and in connection with civil defence. So far as the Admiralty and the Air Ministry are concerned, the existing supply arrangements will continue. This limitation on the Ministry’s scope is reflected in the provision for expenditure on the salaries and allowances of the Minister, Parliamentary Secretary and a small staff, which will not at the outset exceed £40.000 a year. Whenever the exercise of new or extended powers requires it the staff will be increased accordingly.