§ 44. Mr. John Hallasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Covent Garden Market Authority has made any recommendation about the site of a new market; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SoamesNo, Sir. The Authority has not yet received the complete report from the firm of consultants it commissioned to advise on the siting of the market. It will then wish to study it and discuss the matter with the interests affected.
§ Mr. HallIs it not a fact that the firm of consultants employed by the Authority is likely to recommend sites other than the present site of the Covent Garden Market? If one of its recommendations is accepted, will not amending legislation be required, which would have been avoided if the Amendment which I tabled when the Bill was considered had been accepted?
§ Mr. SoamesWhen the Covent Garden Market Bill was going through the House I said—and it was said in another place, I think—that if the Covent Garden Market Authority decided, after giving the matter full consideration, that it wished to put the Market in some place other than in Covent Garden, we would not raise any unreasonable objection to its promoting a Private Bill for that purpose.