Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am ar 26 Gorffennaf 1935.
Mr Maurice Petherick
, Penryn and Falmouth
I do not often agree with a Speaker from the Liberal Benches, but in this case I think that I can say that I do agree with the hon. Gentleman the Member for Carmarthen (Mr. R. T. Evans). I do not share the enthusiasm for planning of my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Captain Heilgers); some of us would prefer to call it plotting. I also have a great objection, wherever it is possible to avoid them, to the setting up of development boards as a general rule. I remember my right hon. Friend the Minister, when discussing the Order under the Herring Industry Act, asserting that we were not to consider that he set up boards because he liked them, but because he saw no alternative. In certain cases, such as the Bacon and Pig Boards, frankly, I see no alternative either, and I believe that the Majority of the House feel as I do. In each case where a measure of control of this nature is contemplated we should look upon the pros and cons with a very keen eye. I certainly do not believe in a general Bill enabling this to be done. All schemes should be definitely ad hoc, but in this particular case it is ad hog, but that does not matter. I wish to make one or two slight criticisms of the proposals in this scheme. I hope that when schemes are brought out in this particular form we can have marginal paragraphs and an index. Here we have a long scheme containing 60 paragraphs and about 18 pages, and it would be of great assistance to the House no doubt if it were possible to have marginal paragraphs and an index. Otherwise, it is almost a model of drafting which might very well be imitated in respect of some of the Bills presented to us for passage through the Houses of Parliament.
Clause 24 is a little unfortunate. It says that the minutes and proceedings of the Board are to be open to inspection by any member of the Pigs and Bacon Boards or by any person authorised by those Boards in writing. I believe that that is going a little too far. It means, practically speaking, that anybody can go to either of those Boards and say, "Please we want to have authority in writing to go and look at the minutes of the Pig Industry Development Board," and it will be very difficult to refuse access to the minutes of the Board. Consequently, it will very often be necessary, after the discussions have proceeded, not to put their findings in the minutes of the Board at all. That would be very unfortunate, because the full discussion and full findings of the Board should appear in the Minute Book.
Paragraph 30 says that the appointed day may not be earlier than the 1st January, 1936. Is there anything to prevent the Board as soon as it is set up granting licences for the erection of new factories before the 1st January, 1936, or have they to wait until that date? May I make one or two suggestions in regard to the three boards, which may be of some value and convenience? Each board is to present an annual report. It will be most helpful to have all the three reports amalgamated in the same volume.
With reference to what the hon. Member for Carmarthen has said, I entirely share his feelings with regard to the regional aspect of this problem. I am very much afraid that the Development Board, when it is set up, may examine the number of factories there are in the country as a whole and say: "We have enough factories," entirely regardless of whether in certain areas where a large number of pigs are produced there is or is not a factory. I do not claim to represent so many pigs, if I may put it that way, as the hon. and gallant Gentleman for Bury St. Edmunds, but Cornwall contains about one-third the largest pig population in the country. We have this year 120,000 contract pigs but we have only three very small factories. Devonshire has 78,000 pigs and about 21 factories. When you come to Staffordshire you find that although it has only 26,000 pigs there are 60 factories. Therefore, Staffordshire produces one-quarter the number of pigs that Cornwall produces and has 20 times the number of factories.
It is a great disadvantage for the Cornish and some of the Welsh farmers to send their pigs to the Midlands, at very considerable expense and at a great loss of weight. I believe that it is estimated that a pig loses on being sent from Cornwall or Devonshire to the Midlands about 5 lbs. in weight. Obviously, that must be a considerable burden on the farmer, who does not get his full price. I hope, therefore, that when the Board is set up it will take a reasonable view of geographical requirements in the various counties, particularly the pig producing areas. In conclusion, I hope that the Board will be set up at the earliest possible moment and that it will be able to engage in its functions as soon as possible. I thank the Minister very much for all that he has done in forwarding the setting up of the Board, which is really needed to co-ordinate the efforts of the two boards which already exist.
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