HC Deb 16 February 1949 vol 461 cc1144-5
54. Mr. Hare

asked the Minister of Food whether he will make a statement as to how far he is consulted as to the future cropping programme of groundnuts and alternative crops in the African territories where the groundnut scheme is operating.

Dr. Summerskill

The Corporation determine their cropping programme in the light of agricultural considerations and of the demand for the different kind of foodstuffs which they can produce. With my right hon. Friend's concurrence they consult him only as to our requirements of each type of produce.

Mr. Hare

Does not the right hon. Lady consider that her right hon. Friend should have some greater say in the amount of crops to be grown of certain types in these schemes in East Africa; and does not she realise that the country and the House of Commons are gravely concerned with what is going on there at the moment?

Dr. Summerskill

I think the hon. Gentleman will appreciate that my right hon. Friend does have sufficient say, so far as his own particular work is concerned. We were asked, for instance, whether sunflower seed would be an acceptable oil seed in this country. We were advised that it would. Then, having given that information, we had to leave it to the Corporation to decide how much they would plant and when it should be planted.

Mr. Joynson-Hicks

Does the right hon. Lady agree that the overriding interest in the cropping programme should be the possibilities of soil erosion and not the question of what oils her Department requires?

Dr. Summerskill

I think the hon. Gentleman knows that that is taken into consideration.