HL Deb 29 July 1954 vol 189 cc324-5

2.45 p.m.

LORD CARRINGTON rose to move, That the Agriculture Act (Part I) Extension of Period Order, 1954, reported from the Special Orders Committee on Wednesday last, be approved. The noble Lord said: My Lords, the purpose of this Order is to extend for another year the operation of Section 4 of the Agriculture Act, 1947. This section would lapse if it were not renewed from year to year. It is concerned with the making of arrangements for providing guaranteed prices or assured markets for products included in the First Schedule to the Act. Briefly, it gives the Minister power to modify existing arrangements if they are not suitable, or to make new ones if none have hitherto existed.

Wool is the only product for which these powers are now in use. Wool was added to the First Schedule to the 1947 Act in 1950 and at the same time the British Wool Marketing Scheme came into operation. The guarantee arrangements were then discussed with the British Wool Marketing Board and given statutory force in an Order under Section 4. This provides, among other things, that the Board should pay producers an average price not less than the guaranteed price fixed by Ministers after the Annual Review. The practical object of continuing Section 4 is, therefore, to keep in force this Order relating to wool. I beg to move.

Moved, That the Agriculture Act (Part I) Extension of Period Order, 1954, reported from the Special Orders Committee on Wednesday last, be approved.—(Lord Carrington.)

THE EARL OF LISTOWEL

My Lords, this is the fourth successive year in which Parliament has been asked to approve an Order of this nature. The policy of guaranteed prices for basic agricultural products is now an agreed policy between all Parties. I suggest to the noble Lord that it would save Parliamentary time if fresh legislation were introduced giving the Minister permanent price fixing and marketing powers. Such legislation should include powers now exercised by the Minister of Food under Defence Regulations—which are always unsatisfactory for this purpose—in relation to other agricultural products. Will the noble Lord ask his right honourable friend (to whom we all wish well in his new position) to consider the desirability of tidying up existing legislation in relation to price fixing and marketing by introducing a Bill in the next Session of Parliament?

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, the power to pay money for all these guarantees under the Agriculture Act arises from the general power of Ministers of the Crown to perform executive actions, provided that the expenditure involved is authorised by Parliament. In this case Sections 1 to 3 of the Agriculture Act empower Ministers to determine guaranteed prices, and the expenditure is ultimately authorised by the Appropriation Act. Whether or not any new permanent legislation is needed for any particular commodity depends on the final shape that the marketing and financial structure takes.

On Question, Motion agreed to.