HC Deb 11 December 1922 vol 159 cc2357-9
41. Captain TERRELL

asked the Minister of Agriculture the personnel of the Departmental Committee which is inquiring into the methods of selling and distributing agricultural, horticultural, and dairy produce; whether the proceedings will be public; whether evidence will be taken from representative bodies anxious to volunteer it in addition to those who may be officially invited to give evidence; and whether the investigations will be carried on during the holidays, so as to permit of the Report being published and any desirable action being taken thereon before the commencement of the Spring?

Sir R. SANDERS

The Committee will be constituted as follows:—

  • The Marquess of Linlithgow (Chairman).
  • The hon. Member for the Louth Division of Lincolnshire.
  • The hon. Member for the Frome Division of Somerset.
  • Sir Basil Mayhew, K.B.E., a well-known accountant.
  • Mr. Ernest N. Debenham, Chairman of Debenhams, Ltd.
  • Mr. Rowland R. Robbins, C.B.K., ex-Chairman of the National Farmers' Union.
  • Mr. A. W. Ashby, of the Institute of Agricultural Economics, Oxford.
  • Mr. R. J. Thompson, Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture;
and a Scottish representative nominated by the Secretary for Scotland.

It will be for the Committee to decide whether their proceedings will be public, but I may say that it is not the usual practice in the case of Departmental Committees. I have no doubt that the Committee will be glad to receive evidence from representative bodies who desire to offer it, and it is the intention t-Hat the Committee should begin their work at once.

Captain TERRELL

Will the Committee carry on their investigations during the holidays?

Sir R. SANDERS

That is for the Committee to decide.

Colonel WEDGWOOD

Will the right hon. Gentleman see that a representative of the Labour party is a member of the Committee?

Sir R. SANDERS

I communicated, through the usual official channels, with the Chairman of the Labour party, and, on his advice, I nominated Mr. A. W. Ashby.

Mr. A. V. ALEXANDER

Who is the representative of the consumers on the Committee?

Sir R. SANDERS

I think they are all consumers.

Mr. A. V. ALEXANDER

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether he received a request that a consumers' representative should be appointed, and whether that request has been refused?

Sir R. SANDERS

I said they are all consumers.

43. Mr. ROYCE

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will extend the scope of the Departmental Inquiry into the conditions of agriculture so as to include all goods a farmer has to purchase, such as artificial fertilisers and agricultural implements, and to ascertain the cause of the difference, which is out of all proportion to the pre-War difference, in the prices of raw materials and the manufactured article?

Sir R. SANDERS

It is proposed that the inquiry to which the hon. Member refers should relate to agricultural, horticultural and dairy produce, and I do not think it is desirable to extend its scope to articles such as fertilisers and machinery.

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