§ Mr. Tudor Watkinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will indicate his policy in relation to the conclusions section of the Report from the Select Committee on Agriculture published in February last; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Cledwyn HughesI welcome this opportunity to express to my hon. Friend and members of the Select Committee the Government's appreciation of their report. It makes a valuable contribution to the wider understanding both of agriculture's place in the national economy and of the considerations the Government must have in mind in the development of its policies for agriculture. On many aspects of general policy the Committee's views are much in line with our own. In some respects they suggest changes in emphasis and further 25W lines of inquiry. We shall be taking these conclusions into account in deciding the continuing development of our policies.