§ Lord Stanley of Alderleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will announce the date for the transfer of responsibility for the appointment of agricultural arbitrators in England and Wales from Agriculture Ministers to the President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)Section 8 of the Agricultural Holdings Act 1984 provides for the transfer of the Agriculture Ministers' current responsibilities for the appointment of agricultural arbitrators in England and Wales to the President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. My right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food indicated during the passage of this legislation that the transfer would not take place for at least a year after Royal Assent. Following consultations with the president, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Wales and my right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food are proposing to give effect to the transfer as from 1st January 1986. They have decided to announce this now so that the industry will have sufficient notice. My right honourable friend will be making a further statement relating to the detailed arrangements for the transfer towards the end of 1985. These arrangements will be fully discussed with the industry beforehand.
Three statutory instruments will be required to give effect to the transfer and these will be laid before Parliament during the autumn of 1985.