§ 52. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Agriculture how many agricultural co-operative societies exist in Great Britain for the purpose of collecting, grading, and distributing agricultural produce; the aggregate capital of these societies; and the percentage of agriculturel produce in Great Britain passing throught their hands?
Mr. GUINNESSIn 1923–24 there were 143 agricultural co-operative marketing societies with an aggregate share capital of about £800,000. In addition, seven general trading societies operated livestock auction marts or slaughter houses as a side line, but in the case of these seven societies the share capital has no relation to the produce turnover. The produce sold by these 150 societies amounted to nearly £5,000,000, or about 3½ per cent. of the total value of agricultural produce marketed in England and Wales. Only part of this produce was graded. In addition, there were considerable sales of cereals, hay, seeds and potatoes by general trading societies, but of these no record is obtainable.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSCan the right hon. Gentleman give us an estimate as to how many there are before they are really established as corporations in agriculture?