§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the number of occasions during the last 12 months on which he has held official meetings with (i) the National Farmers Union, (ii) the Food and Drink Federation, (iii) the Retail Consortium, (iv) the Consumers Association and (v) the National Consumer Council.
§ Mr. GummerI have held six official meetings with the National Farmers Union on bovine spongiform encepathology and allied subjects, at which the main issue was the responsibility of the farming community to the consumer. I have had four meetings with the National Farmers Union to discuss the technicalities of the price fixing and other EC issues of direct concern to farmers. In addition, I have held the three formal consultation meetings involving the National Farmers Union on the wool guarantee, the autumn hill review and the price fixing, and three on specific subjects (the milk marketing boards, salmonella compensation and landlord/tenant law). I addressed the National Farmers Union annual general meeting on 12 February and will send a copy of my speech to the hon. Gentleman. I also had a courtesy visit from the new National Farmers Union president after his election.
The Consumers Association and the National Consumer Council both nominate members to the Ministry's consumers' panel and their senior officers attend the regular meetings held with leaders of consumer organisations. These bodies have met on seven occasions either under my chairmanship or that of my hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean), the Parliamentary Secretary.
I have met the Food and Drink Federation on two occasions and the Retail Consortium on one occasion.