§ Mr. Home Robertsonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any proposals for giving additional encouragement to the marketing of potatoes by agricultural marketing co-operatives ; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John Silkin:My agricultural colleagues and I propose to make certain Vol. 960 194W administrative changes under the Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation Scheme 1971 in order to give extra help in the potato sector. We have accepted a recommendation from the Central Council for Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation that, in order to encourage better grading and marketing of potatoes, grants should be available to potato marketing co-operatives on harvesting machinery, mobile graders, bulk boxes for use in temperature controlled stores, and for fork lift trucks. The maximum rate of grant for the harvesting machinery will be 15 per cent. and for the other items 20 per cent. In addition, for certain items which are already eligible for grant, including static graders, the maximum rate is being increased from 15 per cent. to 20 per cent. This additional a id will be available throughout the United Kingdom for two years in the first instance and the cost will be contained within the planned control totals for public expenditure.