HC Deb 27 July 1967 vol 751 cc1123-4

Order read for resuming adjourned debate on Question [19th July]: That the Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation Scheme, 1967, a draft of which was laid before this House on 28th June, be approved.

Question again proposed.

10.28 p.m.

Sir Frank Pearson (Clitheroe)

I do not wish to keep the House for more than a very short time, but it would be courteous of me, as I held the Floor when the Scheme was last debated, to congratulate the Minister on at last having been able to bring the Scheme before the House for its passage.

We have gained somewhat in the slight delay that has taken place inasmuch as now that we come to pass the Scheme, we are aware of the names of the chairman, vice-chairman and members of the Central Council. It would be right for me to say that we wish them well, that we feel that they have a most important task to perform and that we are certain that they will perform it well. Nevertheless, I think that there is some regret in the minds of some hon. Members on this side of the House that the old organisation of A.M.D.E.C. will no longer have a function to perform.

I think that we should pay tribute to the great work done by the Chairman of A.M.D.E.C., Lord Nugent. It is also a matter of some regret to some of us on this side of the House that he and the experience he commands was not made use of in the formation of the new Council. Be that as it may, we send the Council our good wishes, and hope that it will be able to perform this extremely important task for the benefit of the industry.

The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. John Mackie)

If I may have the leave of the House to speak again—

Mr. Speaker

Order. Does the hon. Member for Banff (Mr. Baker) wish to address the House?

Mr. W. H. K. Baker (Banff)

No thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker

Very well. Mr. John Mackie.

Mr. Mackie

I thank the hon. Member for Clitheroe (Sir Frank Pearson) for his remarks, and particularly for their brevity. I add my compliments to those that he paid the Chairman of A.M.D.E.C.

I am glad that the hon. Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. J. E. B. Hill) is present. I did not have time to reply to him on the previous occasion when we discussed this Scheme. He asked whether paragraph 3(2) would allow retrospective payments of grant. The answer is that it is no. This provision merely governs the fact that we give "urgent authority".

The hon. Gentleman also asked about the likely cost of the Scheme. The present expenditure is £250,000, and our estimate is that this might rise to £1½ million.

Mr. J. E. B. Hill (Norfolk, South)

Is that the annual cost?

Mr. Mackie

Yes.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved, That the Agricultural and Horticultural Cooperation Scheme 1967, a draft of which was laid before this House on 28th June, be approved.