§ Mr. Merlyn Reesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) in view of his Department's shareholding of £,280.00 in the Co-operative Wholesale Society Limited, what is his policy in relation to the activities of the company;
(2) on what date shares were purchased by Her Majesty's Government in the Co-operative Wholesale Society Limited.
§ Mr. PriorThis shareholding. which was acquired on 11th July, 1959, is held by the Land Settlement Association on my behalf, along with similar shareholdings in other co-operative organisations, in order to assist the trading activities of the Association, which provides purchasing and marketing services for tenants on a number of smallholding estates which it manages as my agent. My policy in relation to the Co-operative Wholesale Society 145W Ltd. is of course no different from that which I follow in relation to any other commercial enterprise and is not in any way influenced by the small number of shares which I hold in the Society.