HC Deb 29 October 2001 vol 373 c548W
Mrs. Ann Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to reinstate the task forces on hill and dairy farming and the supply chain; and when she expects them to publish their evidence. [9799]

Mr. Morley

After an enforced break due to the demands of the foot and mouth disease, the milk task force resumed its work and on 12 October 2001 it held its first meeting since its activities were suspended in April. The milk task force hopes that it will be able to report quickly and to feed its findings into the Policy Commission on Food and Farming. No specific deadline has been set for it to complete its work. On completion, the milk task force's report will be placed in the Libraries of the House and will be publicly accessible on the DEFRA website http://www.defra.gov.uk/ and in the library of the Department at 17 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3JR.

The inputs task force has completed its work. Its report was published on 9 May and is available in the Libraries of the House and on the DEFRA website.

The hills task force was set up on 23 November 2000 to do a specific job and report quickly. Its report was received in March and is available in the library of the Department at 17 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3JR.