§ 59. Colonel Ropnerasked the Minister of Agriculture whether it is the intention of the Government to purchase the whole of the home wool clip; and, if so, what price will" be paid.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsI take the opportunity to make the further announcement which I promised. Last August the Government of the United Kingdom accepted the report and recommendations made by the conference of officials and experts, which had met in London to consider the disposal of the stocks of Dominions wool in the ownership of the United Kingdom Government concurrently with the marketing of the new clips. This acceptance involved the Government of the United Kingdom jointly with the Governments of the Dominions in a policy of orderly marketing of Dominions wool for a number of years during the disposal of the existing surplus stocks. At the same time the Government recognised the obligation to make provision for the home clip, which will not be sold under the arrangements to be made by the joint organisation which is being set up by the Governments of the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa for the disposal of Dominions wool. I cannot today announce the manner in which this obligation to the home producer will be discharged because it will, to some extent, depend upon any plan proposed by home producers for improving the marketing of their wool. The report and recommendations of the Committee presided over by the right hon. Walter Elliot have not long been published, and I have not yet had an opportunity of learning the views thereon of organisations representing producers. Accord- 793 ingly, the Government have decided to continue the wartime practice of requisitioning the home clip for the current year 1946 so as to give further time to devise and bring into operation other methods of disposal of the home clip, which will have to be used in 1947 and subsequent years. It is intended to take up the 1946 home clip at the general level of prices paid to farmers for the 1945 clip.