§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he proposes to introduce legislation to merge the Horticulture Research Institute into a single organisational structure; and what is the Horticulture Research Institute's present organisational status within his Ministry.
§ Mr. GummerHorticulture Research International already operates as a single organisational structure. It integrates under single management the staff and facilities of the former Institute of Horticultural Research of the Agricultural and Food Research Council and the former experimental horticulture stations of the Agricultural Development Advisory Service. It is a next steps non-departmental public body sponsored by my Department and governed by a management statement. Legislation will be introduced as soon as possible to establish Horticulture Research International as a statutory corporation and to transfer seconded staff to its direct employment.