Sugar beet council?

6 February 1998

Sugar beet council?

GOVERNMENT has announced that it wants to reduce its role in sugar beet research and hopes to set up an industry led Sugar Beet Development Council.

Parliamentary secretary Elliot Morley said the existing Sugar Beet Research and Education Committee had been the subject of a prior options review to assess governments role in sugar beet research programmes.

"I believe there is no need for the government to be so closely involved," said Mr Morley. "But there is a case for industry funded research and education to continue and this research could be more appropriate, if the industry agrees, under the guidance of a development council for sugar beet," said Mr Morley.