§ 2.36 p.m.
§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the rather more detailed information on the retail prices of meat requested by the National Farmers' Union will be made available to the public]
THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD (LORD ST. OSWALD)My Lords, as I informed the noble Lady on January 24, and as I had explained on December 11 with illustrations, this request presents many difficulties, and it is still being examined. Accordingly the question of publication has not yet arisen.
§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRYMy Lords, might I ask the noble Lord whether he could tell the House what type of detailed information the National Farmers' Union have required?
LORD ST. OSWALDYes, my Lords. The National Farmers' Union asked for separate price indices for home-produced beef, mutton, lamb, pork and, if possible, bacon.
§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRYMight I further ask the noble Lord this: if information like this is requested by an organisation from the Government, 310 must both parties—in other words, the Government and the organisation—agree that the information be made public if requested?
LORD ST. OSWALDYes, my Lords, I think that follows. I would not claim to give an authoritative answer, but I would assume that is bound to be so.
§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRYFinally, might I ask the noble Lord whether, if I were to put down a Question at a later date, the second part of my Question could be answered? I am sorry if I have not made my question clear. When the information has been made available to the National Farmers' Union, will the noble Lord then be able to state whether it may be made public?
LORD ST. OSWALDMy Lords, when it has been made available I shall be happy to answer the noble Lady's Question. But, as I have explained, we have very considerable difficulties in obtaining information which would be really significant or dependable in regard to this question.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, on a point of procedure, the noble Lord just announced that it was necessary for both the National Farmers' Union and the Government to decide whether a matter was to be made public. Surely if a Government Department decided that a matter should be made public it would not be necessary to ask for the agreement of any private organisation.
LORD ST. OSWALDMy Lords, it may well be that I misunderstood the noble Lady's question. What I understood her to ask was whether the agreement of both would be required for the matter of any consultations between one organisation and a Government Department to be made public. Naturally, figures produced by a Government Department and in the possession of a Government Department can be made available if that Department considers it advisable. I am sorry if I misunderstood the noble Lady's question.