§ Viscount WOLMERasked the Minister of Agriculture whether the Hop Controller has exported any English hops for sale abroad during 1923 and 1924; and, if so, the amount exported and the prices realized?
§ Mr. BUXTONI am informed by the Hop Controller that the quantities of hops exported in 1923 and 1924 were as follow:
Year ended 31st December, 1923:
1320W
Quantity Declared value. Cwts. £. British 21,651 292,072 Foreign 1,331 9,808
Month ended 31st January, 1924: Quantity Declared Value. Cwts. £. British 3,043 34,892 Foreign 790 6,523
§ Viscount WOLMERasked the Minister of Agriculture whether the Hop Controller is prepared to purchase the entire English 1924 hop crop, and, if so, upon what terms?
§ Mr. BUXTONThe Hop Controller is not at present in a position to say what proportion of the English hop crop of 1924 he will be able to sell on behalf of the growers. Should more hops be grown than the Controller can dispose of, the Ministry understand that growers would he prepared to pool these hops and market them through a voluntary Growers' Association after the termination of the control.
§ Viscount WOLMERasked the Minister of Agriculture, whether the accounts of the hop control are submitted periodically to the Ministry of Agriculture; and, if so, whether they will be published?
§ Mr. BUXTONThe answer to the fist part is in the affirmative. As the hop control is essentially a trade pool, and its operations do not come within the scope of the public accounts, it is not proposed to publish the accounts of the hop control on behalf of the Government.