Govt puts Cereals Authority under review

29 August 1997

Govt puts Cereals Authority under review

By FWi staff

THE future of the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) is in question following a Government announcement that it plans to review the authoritys role.

Junior farm minister Lord Donoughue said reviews of non-departmental public bodies are carried out every five years. The review would give the Government the opportunity to examine all aspects of the authorities work and responsibilities.

“I can assure you it will be a thorough review, which will start by asking whether there is a continued need for the authority at all,” he said.

The HGCA is an executive non-departmental public body set up to improve the production and marketing of home-grown cereals and, more recently, oilseeds. Its funded almost entirely by statutory levies paid by cereal and oilseed growers and by cereal dealers and processors.

Lord Donoughue said the agriculture departments of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales would be writing to the main trade and consumer organisations involved in cereals and oilseeds, seeking their views about the authoritys future. Interest parties need to present their comments to their relevant ministry by Friday, 17, October.