§ 28. Mr. de Freitasasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will establish a service on the lines of that provided for consumers of domestic goods by the Consumers Association for the compulsory testing of commodities such as sprays and chemical fertilisers offered for sale to farmers.
§ Mr. GodberMy right hon. Friend considers the present statutory and voluntary arrangements to be adequate. These arrangements, which are quite extensive, are, of course, kept under review to ensure they are in step with developments.
§ Mr. de FreitasSince a lot of money is given to farmers to buy fertilisers, for instance, is it not part of the Government's duty to protect the taxpayer and the farmer by ensuring the high quality of the products so bought?
§ Mr. GodberCertainly. I agree that there is a duty. But the Fertiliser and Feeding Stuffs Act stipulates that purchasers must be provided with information about the composition of these commodities when they buy them.