§ Mr. RHYS DAVIESasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has seen the comments of the Committee of Public Accounts that the sum of £1,300 per annum spent by his department in providing statistical information to only one section of the Press might be better disbursed; and whether it is intended to implement that suggestion?
§ Mr. W. S. MORRISONI have read the Report of the Committee of Public Accounts to which the hon. Member refers. The Report deals with the question of a sum of £1,300 per annum not spent but received by my Department for the supply of certain statistical information to the "Farmers Weekly". There is no question of the supply of exclusive information; the same information is circulated widely to other sections of the Press. The payment in question arises from the fact that additional expenditure is incurred by the Ministry in making the information available to the "Farmers Weekly" by the time that paper goes to press. Similar facilities on appropriate terms are available to any other agricultural paper that may desire them. I see no reason for making any change in the existing arrangement, 523W which I am satisfied is in the general interest of the agricultural community.