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Ministry of Food

This page summarises records created by this Organisation

The summary includes a brief description of the collection(s) (usually including the covering dates of the collection), the name of the archive where they are held, and reference information to help you find the collection.

Date: 1939-1955
History: The (second) Ministry of Food was set up in Sept 1939 following the outbreak of the Second World War. 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; and providing for UK representation on various international food bodies. When food rationing ended in July 1954 the Ministry's remaining functions were considered insufficient for its continued existence as a separate department and in April 1955 it was merged with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to become the new Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF).
Functions, occupations and activities: Government (central)
References: IC; NCA Rules
Name authority reference: GB/NNAF/C277210
Collections
Number Description Held by Reference Further information
1
1935-1992: Board of Trade and successors: Food (Defence Plans) Department: Registered Files
The National Archives, Kew
MAF 72
2
1938-1978: Ministry of Food: Senior Officers' Papers
The National Archives, Kew
MAF 128
3
1938-1959: Ministry of Food: Committees
The National Archives, Kew
MAF 151
4
1941-1959: Ministry of Food and successors: Welfare Food Scheme, Registered Files (WF and WFP Series)
The National Archives, Kew
MH 110
5
1873-1985: Records of the Ministry of Food
6
1931-2005: Records of Defence and Civil Emergencies
Related record creators
  Record creator Description of relationship Dates Category of relationship
1
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
Successor/Predecessor
See Also
2
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Successor/Predecessor
See Also