§ Lord Gallacherasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it is proposed to change the present structure of the Potato Marketing Board, and if so what changes are contemplated and what is the reason for such changes.
The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Howe)The Government are unable to take a definitive decision about the future of the Potato Marketing Scheme and Board because the European Commission is intending to make proposals for a common régime, which it hopes to have in place by the end of 1992. This could clearly affect the structure of the scheme and the84WA board. The Government's objective under any régime will be to ensure that our growers can supply what the market needs and operate on equal terms with growers elsewhere, and in particular that the processing sector should be able to find adequate sources of potatoes in Britain.