§ Miss Quennellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to ensure that potatoes taken off the market by the Potato Marketing Board will not be allowed to waste.
§ Mr. HoyWith the approval of my right hon. Friend and that of the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Potato Marketing Board have been selling 87W surplus potatoes for stockfeed since the beginning of January. By the end of March they had sold about 167,000 tons. This quantity would have been greater if there had been no foot-and-mouth epidemic. Sales will probably continue until ample spring grass is available. Some surplus potatoes will have to be held in reserve as an insurance against a shortage and unjustifiably high prices at the end of the season.