§ 39. Mr. Kimballasked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he took to estimate the supplies of English barley before licensing imports of barley from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
§ The Minister of State, Board of Trade (Mr. F. J. Erroll)Barley may be imported under open general licence from all sources and the question of licensing imports from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics does not therefore arise.
§ Mr. KimballIs my right hon. Friend aware that there is a growing feeling among the agricultural community that there is a sad lack of co-operation between the Board of Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture? Will he try to see, if he is to continue to have anything to do with imports of food, that his regional officers at least become known to the farming community, that they visit the markets and make themselves known locally?
§ Mr. ErrollI can assure my hon. Friend that the closest possible co-operation exists between my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture.