14. Lieut.-Colonel Sir ARNOLD WILSONasked the Minister of Agriculture how many persons have been granted and refused, respectively, permits to trade in potatoes by the Potato Marketing Board under the powers conferred on them under Section 6 (e) (i) of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931, and Section 70 (1) of the potato scheme, to determine through whom potatoes may be sold; and whether, in making such determinations, the Board exercise their powers in a public and judicial manner after hearing the applicants or otherwise?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Elliot)With regard to the first part of the question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply I gave on 8th November to questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Henley (Sir G. Fox) and others. As to the second part, I understand that, in considering applications, the Potato Marketing Board have had regard to the particulars furnished by the applicant himself and have consulted, where necessary, district advisory committees. Any applicant who desires his case to be reconsidered may appear before the Board. As my hon. Friend will recognise, there are obvious disadvantages in considering cases of this kind in public. I think that in many cases the applicant would not wish his business affairs to be publicly discussed.