§ 73. Mr. L. Thomasasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now make a statement on 45W the establishment of a horticultural marketing council as recommended by the Runciman Committee.
§ Mr. John HareThe Runciman Committee recommended that a horticultural marketing council should be established to promote and co-ordinate by voluntary means improvements and developments in marketing and distribution. The Committee envisaged an independent body representative of the whole industry. There is general approval of this recommendation, but time is needed to work out and agree upon a detailed plan covering the constitution, powers and sources of revenue of a permanent body of this character. Extensive consultation with the industry has shown that this work can best be done within the framework of an interim organisation.
I have therefore decided that the first step should be to set up without delay a horticultural marketing advisory council for England and Wales to examine all aspects of this matter and also to advise me on the marketing work undertaken by my Department.
The advisory council will consist of twenty-one members appointed on the nomination of organisations representing the producers, wholesalers and retailers,
Commodity Consumption (lb. per head) Home production as percentage of total supplies Average in years immediately pre-war 1957 (provisional) Average in years immediately pre-war 1957 (provisional) Flour 194.5 173.4 Wheat and flour (as wheat equivalent) 12 21 Margarine 8.7 15.2 Lard and compound cooking fat 9.3 10.3 Other edible oils and fats 10.0 12.0 Oils and fats, excluding butter (crude oil equivalent) 16 16 Butter (including farmhouse production) 24.7 17.5 9 11 Sugar (as refined) 102.9 114.5 18 19 Carcase meat and offal 98.1 103.0 51 63 Bacon and ham 28.1 25.4 31 40 Cheese 8.8 9.8 24 48 Eggs in shell 25.9 28.4 71 99 Potatoes for human consumption 181.9 208.6 94 95 Liquid milk 217.1 324.3 100 100 Tea 9.3 9.8 0 0 46W
Note It is not possible, because changes in stocks cannot be apportioned, to say what proportion of consumption came from home production or imports. This difficulty does not apply to the last two columns which relate to current supplies. Throughout the Table consumption and supplies include self-supply by farmers. together with other sections of the industry, and organised labour. There will also be four independent members, including the chairman.
Mr. S. V. Swash, M.C.—who was a member of the Runciman Committee—has accepted my invitation to become the chairman. I am most grateful to him for undertaking this important task.
I should like to pay tribute to the patience and goodwill of the representatives of the many organisations concerned with these discussions. As a result, I am glad to say that a common basis of support and co-operation has been found. I am confident that the advisory council will be of great service to the industry and to consumers.