§ 26. Major CARVERasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is yet in a position to state what action it is intended to take following the issue of the report of the Greene Committee on Sugar-Beet: and whether he can give an assurance that the Government will not permit the output of British sugar-beet to fall below the average of recent years?
§ Mr. ELLIOTNo, Sir. The Committee's report inevitably raises important issues which will call for the most careful consideration both by the Government and by Parliament before a decision on future policy is reached. Pending this full consideration, no statement of future policy could be made. It was, however, in order to give time for full examination of the report that the proposals for a further interim measure of assistance to the industry were put forward in the statement which I made on 6th February in reply to a question by my hon. and gallant Friend, the Member for Maldon (Sir E. Ruggles-Brise).
§ Major CARVERIs my right hon. Friend aware that this report has been promised for a considerable time, and can he expedite its publication?
§ Mr. ELLIOTThere is a later question about the date of publication
§ 29. Mr. MALLALIEUasked the Minister of Agriculture whether the report of the Departmental Committee on the Beet-Sugar Industry will be available before the presentation of the Budget?
§ Mr. ELLIOTAs I indicated in the reply I gave on 29th March to questions by my hon. Friend the Member for South-West Norfolk (Sir A. McLean) and my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Blackpool (Captain Erskine-Bolst), the report of the Committee of Inquiry under the chairmanship of Mr. Wilfrid Greene, K.C., has been presented and sent for printing, and will, it is hoped, be available for Members by 12th April.