§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the relevant experience of the newly appointed chairman of the Scottish Seed Potato Development Council, Mr. James Stobo, with particular reference to any direct or indirect experience of the production, processing or planting of seed potatoes.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythIn accordance with the provisions of the Industrial Organisation and Development Act, 1947 the chairman of a development council established in the exercise of powers conferred by that Act is required to be one of the council's independent members, that is, he must have no financial or industrial interest which would be likely to affect him in the discharge of his functions as a member of the council. Mr. James Stobo satisfies this statutory requirement in that he has no financial or industrial interest in seed potato matters. By virtue of his wide-ranging knowledge and experience of agricultural promotion and marketing Mr. Stobo is well qualified for the post of chairman of the Scottish Seed Potato Development Council, the main function of which is to promote the production and marketing of Scottish seed potatoes.