§ Mr. JOHNSTONasked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that Messrs. Boswell and Son, market gardeners, of Pershore, Worcester, sent 2,250 lbs. of cabbages to Covent Garden Market, receiving nothing in return but a debit note for 3s. 6d.; whether he is aware 2332W that these cabbages were retailed at l½d. each; and whether, in view of the strictures of the Linlithgow Committee upon the Covent Garden monopoly, it is proposed to introduce legislation to ensure more reasonable marketing methods?
Mr. GUINNESSMy attention has been called to a statement in the Press, but no formal complaint has been addressed to my Department. As the hon. Member is no doubt aware, following the recommendations of the Linlithgow Committee thorough investigations into the marketing of agricultural and horticultural produce are being carried out by the Ministry, the results of which are being published in a special Economic Series of Reports. As part of these investigations, an inquiry is now in progress into the marketing of vegetables, and I hope that, by bringing out the defects and weaknesses of the existing marketing machinery, the inquiry will point the way to reform. The attention of those responsible for the inquiry has been directed to the incident in question.