§ 22. Mr. Niall Macphersonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland why the Wool Controller for Scotland acts as chairman of the tribunal to which appeal is made against the orders of the Wool Control
§ Mr. WestwoodThe tribunals to which the hon. Member refers are set up in each area, of which Scotland is one, for dealing with appeals from farmers who consider that their wool has been undervalued on a requisition. Each tribunal consists of an equal number of authorised merchants and producers, and the chairman is the chief executive officer of the Wool Control in this area. This procedure is common to all areas and has operated satisfactorily throughout the period of wool control. In these circumstances there has been no departure from it on the transfer to the Agricultural Ministers of the responsibility for requisitioning the 1947 home wool clip.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonWould not the right hon. Gentleman agree that it is quite wrong for a decision which has been given by one particular individual to be referred to a board of which that same individual is chairman, and will he do something about it?
§ Mr. WestwoodI will certainly look into the matter, but I am not prepared to admit that it is altogether wrong because the appeal tribunals are in fact only advisory committees, and the final decision rests not with them, but with the Wool Control acting on behalf of the responsible Department.