HC Deb 19 December 1938 vol 342 cc2475-6
72. Sir A. Baillie

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is now able to state whether he intends to make any announcement before the Christmas Recess as to which of the amendments to the Potato Marketing Scheme recently put forward by the Potato Marketing Board he intends to approve and disapprove, respectively?

Mr. W. S. Morrison

I regret that it will not be possible to make any announcement on this subject before the Recess.

Sir A. Baillie

Is my right hon. Friend aware that potato growers are extremely anxious that this information should be made available as soon as possible?

Mr. Morrison

I am aware of the necessity of getting on with it as quickly as possible, but my hon. Friend will appreciate that the report is an important and bulky document, and that it will take time to consider it.

73. Mr. R. J. Taylor

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will represent to the Potato Marketing Board the desirability of utilising potatoes which are each over one pound in weight for an extension of the experiment tried in Bishop Auckland whereby surplus potatoes were disposed of to the unemployed at a low price?

Mr. Morrison

I will bring the hon. Member's suggestion to the notice of the Potato Marketing Board. It will, however, be appreciated that, whereas the requirement to remove potatoes weighing more than one pound is a temporary measure, it would take some time to organise the machinery for an experiment such as that carried out at Bishop Auckland, and that it would involve the board in considerable financial obligations.

Mr. Taylor

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the unemployed are used to waiting, and that if he will give any hope that this will be done the unemployed will be quite willing to wait a little longer, in view of the great boon which the Bishop Auckland experiment proved to be when it was carried out?

Mr. Morrison

The statutory position is that it is entirely a matter for the Potato Marketing Board, and, as I have informed the House, I am bringing the hon. Member's suggestion to their notice.

Mr. Thorne

Is the Minister aware that potatoes weighing over a pound are very much better for baking purposes?