View report page

17
In reply, the Ministry of Health stated that the question would be borne in mind in conjunction with
any further legislative control which might be considered desirable and practicable relative to ice
cream. The Minister was of opinion, however, that the provisions of sections 14 (registration of
premises) and 16 (dealer's name and address to be legibly displayed on vehicles) of the Food and Drugs
Act, 1938, together with the public health safeguards under section 13 of the Act and the Ice Cream
(Heat Treatment) Regulations, 1947, already afforded a substantial measure of protection to
the consumer. Nevertheless, the Council felt that the matter was one of urgency requiring attention
at the earliest possible moment and not at some future date, and therefore asked the Standing Joint
Committee to make further representations, especially as regards the display of vendors' names and
addresses on vehicles in a more permanent manner than is frequently the case.
Preserved Food.—At the end of 1948, 107 premises were registered for the preparation or manufacture
of preserved foods (sausages mainly) intended for sale, and 250 inspections were made.
Fried Fish Vendors and Fish Curers.—The number of premises used by vendors of fried fish is 10 and
by fish curers 3. Thirty inspections of fried fish shops and 26 inspections of fish curers' premises
were carried out.
Bakehouses.—Re-inspection of basement bakehouses was carried out in accordance with the
provisions of section 54 of the Factory Act, 1937, which require a local authority to examine, every
fifth year, all basement bakehouses for which a certificate of suitability has been issued. As a result,
11 certificates were renewed unconditionally; 4 certificates were renewed after repairs and alterations
had been carried out; notice of termination of occupation was given in 3 cases where the bakehouse
was found to be totally unsuitable; and consideration of one case, where the premises had been
extensively war-damaged, was deferred in view of the owner's intention to re-plan the bakehouse on
the ground floor. In a further instance where a basement had recently been brought into use as a
bakehouse, contrary to the provisions of the section, legal proceedings were taken against the owners
and the hearing of the summons was adjourned to allow time for the arranging of acceptable
alternative accommodation above ground.
During the year 51 inspections were made of bakehouses generally in the Borough.
Restaurants, etc.—Premises in which meals are provided or food is sold already cooked or is prepared
for sale numbered 848, including 302 restaurants, snack bars and railway refreshment rooms, 49
hotels, 329 staff canteens and clubs and youth organisation canteens, 133 public houses, 12 fish caterers
and cooked meat retailers, and 23 school and nursery canteens: 1,295 inspections were made and 92
notices served.
Difficulty was frequently experienced, more particularly where restaurants and other food premises
were concerned, in securing the execution of works necessary to comply with sanitary notices and
estimated to cost more than £100, because of delay in the issue of Ministry of Works building licences
and, in some instances, refusal to issue a licence. The Council therefore made representations to the
Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee that the appropriate Government Department
or Departments be approached with a view to priority being given to the granting of building licences
in respect of works called for by sanitary notices. The Standing Joint Committee subsequently raised
the matter with officers of the Ministry of Works who stated that discussions on the subject had taken
place with the Ministry of Food and that, as a result, it was anticipated that applications for licences
would in future be dealt with more speedily. The Ministry of Food stated later that the local authority
concerned would be consulted in all cases where an application for a building licence or a licence to
obtain materials for repairs to premises or equipment had been submitted by a food trader on the
grounds that the building works or repairs were necessary to enable him to comply with section 13 of
the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, relating to provisions as to rooms where food intended for sale
is prepared or stored, etc.
Hygienic Paper Drinking Vessels.—The practice of serving liquid refreshments in paper drinking vessels,
which are used once only and then put to salvage, has grown considerably in recent years, more
especially in restaurants in open spaces. In the Zoological Gardens, for example, over a million of
these containers are used in a year. From the public health point of view this must be regarded as an
improvement over the use of crockery and glass which, in view of present scarcity and high prices,
restaurant proprietors are apt to retain in use after the vessels have become chipped and cracked and
therefore a possible source of danger to health. On learning that the Government had imposed a
50 per cent. purchase tax on hygienic paper drinking vessels, and fearing that this might have the
effect of discouraging the catering trade from using them, the Council requested the Metropolitan
Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee to consider approaching the appropriate Government
Department with a view to the purchase tax on these vessels being removed.