§ Mr. Joplingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will list with dates all publicly announced inquiries set up by his Department since 1945 to examine the problems of agricultural marketing and to find ways of improving it.
§ Mr. BishopThere have been the following inquiries:
- Committee appointed to review the working of the Agricultural Marketing Acts (the Lucas Committee reported 1947);
- Committee on Horticultural Marketing (1957);
- Committee of Inquiry into Fatstock and Carcase Meat Marketing Distribution (1964);
- Committee of Inquiry on Contract Farming (1972).
In addition, Agricultural Marketing Reorganisation Commissions have been
484Wfigures fo the years 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977.
§ Mr. Bishop, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 14 February 1979; Vol. 962, c. 579], gave the following information:
The following figures relate to public intervention stocks held throughout the Community:
appointed under section 26 of the Agricultural Marketing Act 1958 to investigate the marketing of hops (1947), pigs and bacon (1956) and eggs (1968). An interdepartmental advisory committee reported on the potato industry in 1973.
There has, however, been no overall analysis of agricultural and horticultural marketing since the Lucas report of 1947.