§ 21. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Agriculture how many committees have been set up in connection with the various agricultural marketing schemes during the past four years; what is the total personnel; and how many separate reports have been made to his Department?
§ Mr. ELLIOTThe number of committees appointed in pursuance of the Agricultural Marketing Act by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and myself is 18. The total personnel of these committees is 67, and 52 reports have been made to my Department. I am sending to the hon. Member a statement giving these details for each committee.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSCan the right hon. Gentleman give the House any idea how many of the recommendations of the various committees have been approved and put into operation by the Government?
§ Mr. ELLIOTNot without notice, I am afraid.
§ 45. Mr. MABANEasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of his declaration on 20th July on the subject of marketing, he is prepared to appoint at the earliest possible moment a Royal Commission to investigate and report on the problem of distribution, in order that the full facts may be available when he decides to engage upon the work foreshadowed by him in that declaration?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Baldwin)My hon. Friend no doubt refers to my remarks on the subject of the marketing of livestock. I would remind him that reports on agricultural marketing issued from time to time by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries deal with this problem, and I am assured that the organisations of producers who are concerned with the promotion of marketing schemes appreciate the importance of consultation with the interests engaged in distributive services. I am not prepared to adopt his suggestion for the appointment of a Royal Commission.
§ Mr. MABANEWould the Prime Minister suggest any other means whereby the full facts might be obtained on this very important subject?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIn the first place, I do not regard a Royal Commission as necessarily an instrument of acceleration. The Board of Agriculture may be trusted to make plenty of progress. There is plenty of publicity among people who are interested in the facts.