§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Department's role in securing the future of the national fruit collection at Brogdale.
§ Mr. CurryMy first concern has always been to provide a secure and stable home for the national fruit collection. This was the basis on which the decision was made last year to transfer the collection to Wye college, part of the university of London. Moreover, Wye college offers the scientific and academic expertise fully to develop and utilize the collection for educational and scientific purposes.
I was conformed last week of the duchy of Cornwall's interest in purchasing the Brogdale site. The duchy's involvement offers the degree of stability which such a collection demands and I have therefore instructed my officials to look at the possibility of keeping the national fruit collection at Brogdale under Wye college's management.