§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Department's responsibilities for the genetic conservation of flora.
§ Mr. Gummer[holding answer 12 December 1989]: My Department makes a grant in aid to the royal botanic gardens for the purposes set out in the National Heritage Act 1983 which includes the keeping of its national reference collections. In addition my Department provides funding for the collection of vegetables at the Institute of Horticultural Research, Wellesbourne and maintains the national fruit collection at its experimental horticultural station at Brogdale. As I announced today in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Mr. Speed), we are safeguarding the collection's future by transferring it to Wye college, part of the university of London.