§ 56. Mr. ROSBOTHAMasked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he proposes to take to provide and maintain publicity for national-mark schemes introduced by his Department in order that the general public may be better informed as to the advantages to be obtained by the purchase of national-mark Home products?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of AGRICULTURE (Dr. Addison)I am glad to say that the Government have arranged through the Empire Marketing Board to provide a publicity grant in favour of the Ministry at the rate of £55,000 for the financial year 1930, as an initial grant for the purpose of providing and maintaining foreground publicity for National Mark schemes, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer has undertaken that Parliament shall be invited to make special financial provision for the purpose in 1930. Arrangements are already being undertaken to put this grant to effective use. I should emphasise that this grant for National Mark publicity is additional to the publicity for home produce as a whole which has regularly been provided by the Empire Marketing Board, and which that Board hopes to maintain in the future upon as ample a scale as hitherto.
§ 60. Captain MARGESSONasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can specify the horticultural products to which the National Mark has been applied; whether he contemplates extending the scheme in the coming season; and, if so, to what products?
§ Dr. ADDISONThe horticultural products which are already the subject of National Mark Schemes are apples and pears, tomatoes and cucumbers, and Cornish broccoli for export. Schemes are about to be introduced for strawberries and cherries. There is every hope of bringing cyder and canned home-grown fruits under the Mark in the coming season.