Ministry of Food
1916 The new Ministry of Food took over the control of oils and fats from the Ministry of Munitions, that of cheese and frozen fish from the Board of Trade, that of food preservation from the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, that of the food economy campaign from the War Savings Committee, and that of oats from the War Office.
1917 The Royal Commission on Sugar Supplies (established in 1914), which had power to purchase, sell and regulate the supply of sugar on behalf of the government, became a section of the Ministry of Food but its organisation was never merged with that of the ministry and it retained considerable independence.
1917 The Royal Commission on Wheat Supplies (established in 1916), with power to regulate the supply of wheat, other grains and flour, became a division of the Ministry of Food, though it retained considerable independence.
1918 A Food Council was appointed by the food controller in September to consider general questions of food policy.
1918 a Consumer's Council was established to enlist the cooperation of the organised working classes and the Cooperative Movement. It functioned to some extent independently of the ministry.
1919 the Ministry's National Kitchens Division took over for a short time the responsibility for refreshment facilities in the Royal Parks. These had previously been the charge of the Office of Works. The ministry also absorbed various ad hoc bodies which had been set up to deal with difficulties over particular commodities, notably sugar and wheat. It purchased almost all imported foodstuffs as well as home-produced supplies of meat and potatoes. It organised rationing of sugar, meat, butter, margarine, lard, tea and jam, and imposed price control over a much wider range of foodstuffs.
Post-WWI: The ministry acquired the Road Transport Board and the Meat Supplies Department from the Board of Trade, but its activities were run down steadily as food became more plentiful, rationing being abolished in 1920.
1921 The Ministry was dissolved on 31 March. The Royal Commission on Sugar Supplies and the Royal Commission on Wheat Supplies were wound up.
1939 The second Ministry of Food was established; the functions of holding, using and disposing of stocks and other property held by the Board of Trade's Food (Defence Plans) Department were transferred to the new Ministry. The Board of Trade's functions relating to the acquisition, control, storage and prices of certain essential foodstuffs were also transferred. Thereafter the Minister of Food was the authority for making, amending and revoking Orders relating to the general control of the foodstuffs industry.
As with its First World War predecessor, the Ministry of Food had no direct part in the food production campaign, which was the province of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Its primary responsibility was to ensure that all sections of the community could obtain necessary food supplies at reasonable prices.
In wartime its activities were associated with rationing and state trading. It was responsible for the administration of food subsidies and some of the deficiency payments schemes, and cooperated with other departments concerned in the annual farm price review and the working out of the future basis of guarantees for farmers. Other functions were food defence planning; research into the methods of preparing, marketing and preserving foodstuffs; maintenance and improvement of food standards; advising the public on cooking available foodstuffs; and providing for UK representation on various international food bodies.
1954 When food rationing ended on 3 July the Ministry's remaining functions were considered insufficient to justify its continued existence as a separate department.
1955 Amalgamated as part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which assumed responsibility for the functions of the Ministry of Food except for the main food hygiene functions in England and Wales (transferred to the Ministry of Health), and in Scotland (transferred to the Secretary of State).
See Also
Sources of Information
- National Archives [1]