HC Deb 24 January 1963 vol 670 cc97-8W
Mr. J. Wells

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the arrangements under which he receives independent advice from the industry on the Government programme of research and experiment in agriculture and horticulture.

Mr. Soames

It is most important that the Government should get informed, independent advice and criticism not only on their research and experimental programmes, but also on how the resulting discoveries are made available to the industry.

For many years the Agricultural Improvement Council for England and Wales has carried out this task most ably, and I wish to pay tribute to all the members of the Council and its committees and sub-committees for the valuable service they have rendered. I now want to make some structural changes.

First, I wish those who advise me to be, and to be seen to be, completely independent of the Department. The Chairman will therefore cease to be an official and the members will be mainly members of the industry and independent scientists.

Secondly, because the problems of agriculture and horticulture are different, and because I felt the Council had become rather too large, I am setting up separate bodies to deal with the two sides of the industry.

Finally, I am encouraging the reconstituted Councils to concentrate on broad criticisms of the basis for programmes and on the general approach to the problems of the industry that require research.

The new Councils will take office today and will be composed as follows:

AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

  • J. D. F. Green, Esq. (Chairman).
  • H. Collison, Esq., C.B.E.
  • Professor M. McG. Cooper, B.Agr.Sc. (N.Z.), B.Litt., F.R.S.E.
  • E. G. Cox, Esq., T.D., D.Sc., F.Inst.P., F.R.I.C., F.R.S.
  • F. A. Gray, Esq., M.A.
  • J. G. Jenkins, Esq.
  • G. E. Limb, Esq., B.Sc., N.D.A.
  • Professor I. A. M. Lucas, B.Sc. (Agric.), M.Sc.
  • D. G. Pearce, Esq.
  • G. F. Ross, Esq., N.D.D.
  • H. G. Sanders, Kt., M.A., Ph.D.
  • N. E. Strutt, Esq., D.L.
  • F. G. Sturrock, Esq., M.A., B.Sc.

HORTICULTURAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

  • J. W. S. Mount, Esq. (Chairman).
  • C. R. Allcorn, Esq.
  • E. E. Cheesman, Esq., C.B.E., D.Sc., A.R.C.S.
  • D. G. Frampton, Esq.
  • R. G. How, Esq., OBE
  • Professor J. P. Hudson, M.B.E., G.M., M.Sc., Ph.D., N.D.H.
  • C. Le Grice, Esq.
  • Sir David Lowe, C.B.E., F.R.S.E.
  • J. R. Macdonald, Esq.
  • H. G. Sanders, Kt., M.A., Ph.D.
  • David Trehane, Esq., B.Sc. (Hort.), J.P.