§ 10.15 p.m.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Norman Buchan)I beg to move, Amendment No. 1, in page 2, line 14, leave out 'for human consumption'.
Hon. Members opposite, in particular the hon. Member for Torrington (Mr. Peter Mills), will recall that they tabled an Amendment in exactly these terms in Committee. We said that we had no desire to restrict unduly the Authority's powers in relation to egg products. Because of the limited market for egg products for industrial purposes, however, we had not at that stage thought it appropriate to complicate the Authority's task by extending its rôle in relation to egg products into the industrial sphere from the outset. We undertook, in Committee, to consider the point and, on reflection, we agree that it would be useful and prudent to adopt the wider definition proposed in Committee, and I am sure hon. Members opposite will welcome the Amendment.
§ Mr. Peter MillsWe welcome the Amendment and are pleased that the Government have listened to our arguments in Committee. The Amendment means that the authority will have freedom and will not be restricted by the words "for human consumption".
The stability of the egg industry is dependent on its ability to sell its products to the best advantage, particularly as the Government are not giving aid in support buying. We therefore want the industry to be able to deal with the widest range of products. New uses for egg products are continually being developed and I hope that the authority will play a leading part in these developments, particularly in times of glut. This will give the authority every encouragement to find other outlets.
§ Amendment agreed to.