§ Mr. Ben ChapmanTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the first statutory review of the British Potato Council. [123769]
§ Mr. Nick BrownThe first statutory review of the British Potato Council (BPC) has been carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Industrial Organisation and Development Act 1947. I have considered the report of the review and the outcome of the BPC poll, together with the Minister for Rural Affairs at the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development. We agreed that the Council carries out a necessary function that could not be so efficiently carried out by other means. We have therefore decided that the BPC should continue for a further term while taking forward the recommendations of the report, in particular about ways of improving the Council's service to levy payers.