§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the Agriculture and Food Research Council in respect of research spending budgetary allocations.
§ Mr. JoplingThere are close and continuing consultations between my Department and the Agricultural and Food Research Council on the future programme of commissioned work. These issues are also discussed in the Priorities Board for Research and Development in Agriculture and Food, on which the AFRC is represented. In addition, members of the Agricultural and Food Research Service have expressed their views on future budgetary allocations in correspondence to hon. members and these have been forwarded to me and my colleagues.