§ Mr. Bakerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will list the statutory powers, and other means available to him, to control or influence the number of people employed by, and the wage and salary bill of, local authorities or other public sector bodies not part of central Government.
§ Mr. John SilkinThe relevant statutory powers are Agriculture Act 1967, Section 58(9) and paragraph 9 of Schedule 6, in relation to the Central Council for Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation; Agriculture Act 1970, Section 12(1) and (2), and paragraph 9 of Schedule 1, in relation to the Eggs Authority; Industrial Training Act 1964, paragraph 10 of the Schedule, as amended by the Employment and Training Act 1973, paragraphs 2, 4 and 9(d) of Part III of Schedule 2, in relation to the Agricultural Training Board.
In addition, under the terms of an agreement with the National Institute of Agricultural Botany, the numbers and grades of the staff of the Institute performing statutory work on behalf of my Department are subject to my approval.