HC Deb 26 February 1948 vol 447 cc2096-7
14. Mr. Odey

asked the President of the Board of Trade why some fruit trees which have been sent by the Ministry of Agriculture, Canada, from their Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, to Mr. Dalgliesh, nurseryman, of Market Weighton, and arrived on the "Aquitania" at Southampton a month ago, have not been released, and why Mr. Dalgliesh has received no reply to three communications which he has addressed on this subject to the Import Licensing Department.

Mr. H. Wilson

Licences are not normally granted for the import of fruit tree stock from Canada, but as I explained in my letter to the hon. Member, a licence has been issued in this case since the stock in question has reached this country and no payment is involved. I cannot, however, undertake to issue licences in any future similar cases.

Mr. Odey

While thanking the President for his reply, may I ask him why there should be such difficulty in obtaining permission to import into this country a gift from the Department of Agriculture of the Canadian Government which was intended to assist horticultural research in this country? And does he appreciate the bad impression he is creating in a country like Canada, when gifts of this kind are held in Southampton for two months, exposed to all the dangers of the climate?

Mr. Speaker

That is a long speech.

Hon. Members

Answer.

Mr. Wilson

I have been into this case fully and have written to the hon. Gentleman about it. There are very many difficulties about importing things of this kind, even as gifts—[An HON. MEMBER: "Why?"]—from Canada, particularly since there is always the danger that they might be solicited, although in this case I know they were not.

Colonel Gomme-Duncan

Are the trees still alive?

Mr. Wilson

To the best of my information, yes.