§ 51. Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of his power under the Merchandise Marks Act, Clause 2, sub section (1), to order the marking of foreign produce in spite of the recommendation of the Committee, and in view of the nature of the Report of the Committee which inquired into the marking of eggs, he will take steps to issue an order that all foreign eggs shall be marked?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Guinness)I am advised that Section 2 of the Merchandise Marks Act, 1926, gives the appropriate Department power to recommend His Majesty to make an Order in Council requiring the marking of any class of imported goods on exposure for sale and on sale in the United Kingdom, whether or not the Committee report in favour of such an Order, but that an Order for marking on importation can only be made where the Committee so report. This matter has been considered by the Poultry Advisory Committee, which mainly consists of representative producers and traders, and their unanimous opinion is that an Order for marking on exposure for sale and on sale but not on importation would be of no practical benefit to producers or consumers of British eggs. I need hardly add that the whole position arising out of the Report continues to be fully explored.