§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers in respect of the Agricultural Holdings Bill [Lords]; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregor[pursuant to his reply, 15 December 1983]: The Central Association of Agricultural Valuers has informed me that in general it welcomes the Agricultural Holdings Bill. It supports the rent formula which it feels closely follows the way the existing law is applied in practice and is workable.
The association has expressed its concern about the provision in clause 7 of the Bill for the transfer to the president of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors of Ministers' responsibility for the appointment of arbitrators when parties fail to agree on the choice of an arbitrator. We have informed the president of the CAAV that the president of the RICS has given an assurance that if the clause were enacted the RICS would follow substantially the same in making appointments as is currently operated by the Agriculture Departments in England and Wales.