11. Mr. BillWalker asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the 1981 United Kingdom potato crop was exported (a) as ware and (b) as seed.
§ Mrs. FennerOverseas trade statistics are not yet available for this period, but figures from the Potato Marketing Board and the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland suggest 1 per cent. and 2 per cent., respectively.
Mr. WalkerI thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Does she recognise that the potato trade is a vital part of the Tayside economy? How are Government plans progressing towards improving the marketing and processing of potatoes?
§ Mrs. FennerI am sure that my hon. Friend will have observed the beginning of the Great Brits programme for high quality potatoes, because I understand that it started in Scotland. Everyone in the industry agrees about the importance of improving the quality of potatoes. We welcome the name "Great Brits" which the Potato Marketing Board and the new bodies in Scotland and Northern Ireland have chosen for seed potatoes.