§ Mr. LUNDONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if a Committee has been set up to fix prices and arrange for the distribution of artificial manures and phosphates throughout the United Kingdom; and, if so, how has it been constituted, and has Ireland any representative on it?
Captain BATHURSTA Committee was appointed by the Food Controller on the 12th January last to make such arrangements as may be necessary for the increase of supplies of fertilisers in the United Kingdom, and for controlling their output and distribution. It includes representatives of each of the three agricultural departments. Ireland is represented on it by Mr. J. R. Campbell, Assistant Secretary to the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction. Owing to the fact that the Ministry of Munitions is interested in nearly all the substances1484W which enter into the production of such fertilisers, it has been arranged, with the approval of the three Departments of Agriculture, to transfer the work of this Committee to that Department. Agricultural interests will continue to be represented upon the body, which will deal with this matter in future.