§ VISCOUNT SIMONMy Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lord Lovat, who cannot be here, I beg to put to His Majesty's Government the Question which stands in the noble Lord's name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have appointed a Committee to study the question of the improvement of production on marginal land, and if so, what is the membership of that Committee.]
§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (THE EARL OF HUNTINGDON)My Lords, it has already been announced in another place that no formal Committee has been appointed to study this question. My right honourable friends the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Secretary of State for Scotland are being advised in this matter by a small working party of officials of agricultural departments, with whom are associated certain distinguished agricultural scientists.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, may I ask the noble Earl why he should decline to give the names of the people associated with the working party? Surely their names ought to be made public.
§ THE EARL OF HUNTINGDONMy Lords, it is contrary to the usual practice to give the names of civil servants on such a working party.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKI did not ask for the names of the civil servants. I asked for the names of those who were to be associated with the civil servants.
§ THE EARL OF HUNTINGDONI can give the names of the scientists associated with the working party. One is Professor W. Ellison, of the University College of Wales; the other is Dr. F. Yates, of Rothamstead.