Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce

HC Deb 13 February 1995 vol 254 c532W

Mr. Kaufman

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he has not yet provided the information about the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce requested from him by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton in his question about next step agencies on 20 January.

Mr. Waldegrave

The intervention board is an independent Government Department established under the European Communities Act 1972 responsible to all four Agriculture Ministers. Although it is an executive agency, it is not a next steps agency in my Department, and did not therefore come within the terms of the right. hon. Member's question. It has not, however, acquired its own buildings, its staff numbers have declined since it became an agency; it publishes no periodical journals; has no executive cars; its logo pre-dates agency status and was internally designed at no cost; it has no corporate clothing, although it provides protective clothing to specialist staff when their duties require it, and it has always had its own corporate stationery. This was redesigned in August 1993 at a cost of under £500.