64. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will make a statement clearly defining the position of the Joint Standing Committee which has been set up to embrace manufacturers who were not originally members of the Agricultural Engineers' Association; and whether he can give an assurance that it is not the intention to allow the Council of the Agricultural Engineers' Association to dictate the policy of this Joint Standing Committee?
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture (Mr. T. Williams)The Joint Standing Committee of the Agricultural Engineers' Association is a body fully representative of the agricultural engineering industry formed for the purpose of consulting with the Ministry on all war-time problems connected with the supply of farm machinery. The management is in the hands of a co-ordinating committee, on which are represented the Agricultural Engineers' Association, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Agricultural Machinery Dealers' Association, Scottish Agricultural Machinery Association, Machine Knife and Allied Trades Association, and also delegates representing firms not being members of the Agricultural Engineers' Association. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that it is within the power of the members of the Joint Standing Committee, in accordance with the constitution of that body, to prevent its policy being dictated by any sectional interest.
Mr. De la BèreWill my right hon. Friend have a friendly word with the Agricultural Engineers' Association and ask them not to be so dictatorial, because there is overwhelming evidence that they are being very dictatorial at the present time?
§ Mr. WilliamsWe have no evidence of that.