§ 18. Mr. Peartasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when Her Majesty's Government will announce their conclusions on the Verdon-Smith Report on the meat industry.
§ Mr. SoamesI will make a statement on the Government's views as soon as possible.
§ Mr. PeartWhen is "as soon as possible"? Is it after the election or when? The Minister has to be prodded over and over again on this matter.
§ Mr. SoamesI do not accept that Ministers have to be prodded over and over again.
§ Mr. SoamesI have a rooted objection to being prodded. This Committee reported on a subject which covers a very wide field indeed. I told the House—and I think the hon. Gentleman approved at the time, if I remember rightly—that we asked the interested parties, which number some 100 or more organisations, to give their views on the suggestions made in the report by the end of April. A number of these organisations have asked for a little more time before sending in their observations. I think the hon. Gentleman will also agree that, when making major decisions on these important matters, it is necessary that we should be sure that we have all the views of the interests concerned before we reach conclusions. As soon as I have obtained all these views the Government will study them and will make a report.